Foregoing the top-of-the-line purchase in favor of a less expensive model, or skipping some purchases altogether, can work for governments that are being conscious of spending taxpayer money.

But that’s only true when it comes to luxury or cosmetic purchases. When it comes to matters like public safety, it’s better to invest the money up front — even if it costs more than you want to pay — than risk putting people’s lives at risk

That’s a lesson that all governments can learn from the village of Scotia, which managed to save a few thousand bucks on its new $8.8 million fire station by deciding not to purchase a building-wide alert........

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