If we want 1940 government budget levels, then we will have to give up many government services that we take for granted. Let's start with our well-equipped, modern police forces and consider what they would have in 1940.
First, we have to get rid of the computers and all the services that they provide. If we start with patrol cars and assume a department has 20 cars, that is easily 60 thousand dollars saved.
Next, we have to toss out the radios and go back to call boxes.
Modern cars have many costly features that were only luxury add-ons in the 1940. We should revert to manual transmissions, take away power steering and power brakes, remove air conditioning, windshield washers, side view mirrors, turn signals, backup lights, electronic locks, air bags, and seat belts. I must have missed a few other things that were only wished for in 1940 that are standard in any car now.
We could also reduce the number of police cars and put more officers on foot patrol.
My gosh, these "efficiencies" could save hundreds of thousands of dollars for any medium size city.
The downside is that police departments effectiveness would go down because they lack many of the modern tools.
But, the great upside is that our taxes would go way down. Now, if we could only get insurance companies to charge us 1940 premiums for theft insurance.
