"[Taxpayers] pay for that!" is a very misleading way to phrase it. State, Federal, sales, etc... You do realize they're going to collect taxes no matter what, yes? I'm not getting them back! And if money already on-hand isn't used to help literal hero firefighters in the form of the benefits they were promised for saving lives in the wake of the biggest terrorist attack against the country, then what the fuck should we spend it on!? Nothing?? It's fine if you believe that, but it's a totally different discussion...