Ours are quite small for Kindy this year, about $100, and we paid them.

Like you MD, I just assumed that if you could, then you should and would. I am used to paying for DD's education - we had her in a private kindergarten (3yo Kinder just doesn't exist here otherwise) and that was $1700 a term...so an actually public school is cheap! lol
I think it is sad to hear people who can afford it just choose not to pay it Mak.