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It is preliminary number crunching time for most cities and counties across the state of Minnesota. While final decisions will not take place until December for many of them, now is the time when they have to start their preparations. As a news writer it is my good fortunate(or misfortune) to hear the good and/or bad news first.
The simple fact for fiscal 2012 is that cities and counties have to find ways to do the same work on a lot less money. Local Government Aid to Cities and Counties from the state has been drastically reduced the past serveral years and there is no end in sight. The governor has the right to slash budgets right down to the last day in December, leaving local budgets a further mystery.
Options for revenues are slim ... more taxes. Options for cuts in spending are just as slim. Most local governmental agencies are already down to a bare bones budget. Those that haven’t made the cuts already will certainly have to do some this year. About all that is left are services. Some services are more important than others, but taxpayers usually don’t want any of them cut.
This leaves local leaders and planners with only one choice. They must ask taxpayers to step up to the plate, fill in the gaps, and pay more out of their pockets. No one likes this idea, but it is what remains.
Watonwan County is already proposing a pre-liminary maximum tax levy of 3.5%, a considerable increase over last year. They may choose to dip into remaining reserves, which are getting thin, and end up with a lower rate. However, sooner or later the pied piper must be paid. Later will only be harder and involve a lot more money. It seems better to do it now, (it should have done last year), to start paying than getting totally blindsided by an increasing tax.
Most politicians and leaders don’t like to make these decisions because they are already thinking ahead to the next election. But a real leader wills take out and of what is necessary, even if it means raising your taxes or cutting a favorite program or service.
It always amazes me that there seems to be money for grants for special pet projects, but never enough to pay the bills and the things that are essentials. Maybe we should start doing less with the things we want and consider the things we need. I suppose that makes too much sense for many. Add to the fact that all of those writing and applying for grants wouldn’t have anything to do, and it makes even less sense. Or perhaps we should consider the fact that if corporations have so much money to give away, maybe they should step up and foot a higher tax bill. Then again, someone will argue, “But, they are the ones that supply the jobs.” Not much to say there! So, the rich get richer and the poorer get poorer. Soon the gulf between the two in this country will be so wide that we won’t see or associate much with each other anymore. But then again, do we now?
Politics, and hence leadership, can only be played by the rich, so the rest of the country can’t even get representation. The ones that messed up our state in July, will be the ones running for office again, and once more there will be no other choices. I say give it to them now and let them foot the entire bill ... tax the rich and then tax them some more!
It is preliminary number crunching time for most cities and counties across the state of Minnesota. While final decisions will not take place until December for many of them, now is the time when they have to start their preparations. As a news writer it is my good fortunate(or misfortune) to hear the good and/or bad news first.
The simple fact for fiscal 2012 is that cities and counties have to find ways to do the same work on a lot less money. Local Government Aid to Cities and Counties from the state has been drastically reduced the past serveral years and there is no end in sight. The governor has the right to slash budgets right down to the last day in December, leaving local budgets a further mystery.
Options for revenues are slim ... more taxes. Options for cuts in spending are just as slim. Most local governmental agencies are already down to a bare bones budget. Those that haven’t made the cuts already will certainly have to do some this year. About all that is left are services. Some services are more important than others, but taxpayers usually don’t want any of them cut.
This leaves local leaders and planners with only one choice. They must ask taxpayers to step up to the plate, fill in the gaps, and pay more out of their pockets. No one likes this idea, but it is what remains.
Watonwan County is already proposing a pre-liminary maximum tax levy of 3.5%, a considerable increase over last year. They may choose to dip into remaining reserves, which are getting thin, and end up with a lower rate. However, sooner or later the pied piper must be paid. Later will only be harder and involve a lot more money. It seems better to do it now, (it should have done last year), to start paying than getting totally blindsided by an increasing tax.
Most politicians and leaders don’t like to make these decisions because they are already thinking ahead to the next election. But a real leader wills take out and of what is necessary, even if it means raising your taxes or cutting a favorite program or service.
It always amazes me that there seems to be money for grants for special pet projects, but never enough to pay the bills and the things that are essentials. Maybe we should start doing less with the things we want and consider the things we need. I suppose that makes too much sense for many. Add to the fact that all of those writing and applying for grants wouldn’t have anything to do, and it makes even less sense. Or perhaps we should consider the fact that if corporations have so much money to give away, maybe they should step up and foot a higher tax bill. Then again, someone will argue, “But, they are the ones that supply the jobs.” Not much to say there! So, the rich get richer and the poorer get poorer. Soon the gulf between the two in this country will be so wide that we won’t see or associate much with each other anymore. But then again, do we now?
Politics, and hence leadership, can only be played by the rich, so the rest of the country can’t even get representation. The ones that messed up our state in July, will be the ones running for office again, and once more there will be no other choices. I say give it to them now and let them foot the entire bill ... tax the rich and then tax them some more!
