6 hours ago • The Times Editorial Board Lets get this straight. The Lake County Council approved a big 1.5 percent local income tax and the county still says it doesnt have enough money to meet current needs? This is a county government with a total budget in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The council began with a potential 2015 budget surplus of $10 million and — no offense, drunken sailors — blew more than $9 million of it in a wild spending spree. The council plans to lavish 3 percent pay raises on about 1,200 full-time civilian employees and officeholders. That increase accounts for more than $1.6 million a year. And there are hundreds of other employees who arent included in that deal for various reasons. Then theres a $1 million boost for drainage ditches and $2 million for repairing bridges. And with a few hundred thousand here, a few hundred thousand there, it adds up quickly. At the same time, the Lake County commissioners are planning to borrow up to $12 million to finance repairs and improvements to the Lake County Jail and other buildings. That will bring the countys total debt to nearly $200 million. Paying off principal and interest will cost the countys taxpayers $26 million in 2015. It is difficult to justify large pay raises while the county borrows even more money to meet basic needs. This shows how out of whack the countys priorities are. We understand the county has shed hundreds of jobs from its payroll in recent years. But we also understand the hiring freeze was more like early April than early February. Borrowing money costs taxpayers more than just paying cash. Being more frugal with the new money is smarter than squandering it all. Instead of giving big raises, start setting aside money for future needs. Its not impossible. There are other units of local government who have proven this can be done. It is reprehensible to blow through that surplus so quickly.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 11:39:19 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015