rajthakkar wrote:
It is well known that many homeless people frequent public libraries as a kind of sanctuary. Now, several dozen public libraries across the country have made their facilities more useful to homeless people by offering free job training programs, for adults and free activities for homeless children. While the administrators of these libraries mean well, the homeless do not pay property taxes to support the library, so these people are getting something for nothing, a dangerous practice for all concerned.
Which of the following is assumed by the author of this argument?
(A) None of the sales tax paid by homeless people who use the free services is used by the libraries.
(B) The general public that uses the libraries does not mind the services provided to the homeless.
(C) Many of the homeless people who use public libraries as sanctuaries check the library’s local newspapers for job listings.
(D) Some libraries that offer programs to the homeless cannot afford these programs.
(E) Property taxes are used predominantly to support public libraries.
Public libraries are offering free job training programs for homeless adults and free activities for homeless children.
Homeless do not pay property taxes to support the library
Conclusion: Homeless people are getting something for nothing, a dangerous practice for all concerned.
All that the premises tell us is that homeless do o pay property taxes (presumably because they do not have homes (property)) which supports libraries. So they are getting something for nothing. The premises do not tell us that they are not supporting the library in any way. But we are concluding that because they do not pay property taxes, they are getting something for nothing.
(A) None of the sales tax paid by homeless people who use the free services is used by the libraries.
Homeless pay sales tax. The argument is assuming that that is not used by libraries. If it were used by libraries then we cannot say that the homeless are getting something for nothing. Their sales tax revenue would have been used by libraries and libraries would have provided facilities to them. For the conclusion to hold, we must assume that their contribution is not used for libraries.
(B) The general public that uses the libraries does not mind the services provided to the homeless.
Irrelevant what the public thinks. Point is, do homeless get something for nothing, a dangerous practice?
(C) Many of the homeless people who use public libraries as sanctuaries check the library’s local newspapers for job listings.
Irrelevant. Checking newspapers does not make them contribute to library upkeep.
(D) Some libraries that offer programs to the homeless cannot afford these programs.
Irrelevant. Whether libraries can afford or not is not the point. Even if the libraries can afford, it may be a dangerous practice.
(E) Property taxes are used predominantly to support public libraries.
Not necessary. The argument tells us that property taxes do go toward library maintenance. Do they predominantly go toward supporting public libraries, we don't know and we don't care. Other uses of property taxes is irrelevant.
Answer (A)