December 7, 2005

WRTA

Brown Shoes Diary

Call Me Irresponsible

Her Imperial Highness, Donna Gority, thinks it's "very irresponsible" to pass a budget without a tax hike, even though the county budget is balanced.  Apparently, she doesn't care that in just this past year all sorts of levies have been placed on Blair County taxpayers, including a property tax increase by the Altoona Area School District.  "Not my problem," I can hear Ms. Gority saying. Also not her problem is our efforts to balance our personal budgets.

She wants a "comfort level" for the county budget because unknown expenses might arise.  Hey, Commissioner, we all face that possibility.  And guess how we deal with it?  When an unexpected increase in one expense (like heating fuel) goes up, we cut back in other areas.  Why shouldn't government officials follow the same rules as those they govern?

Well, I have no doubt that the good Commissioner sees her work and the county's budget as more important than yours or mine.  And that is the problem.  So long as we keep electing these self-important yahoos to office, our properties are going to be levied, our pockets are going to be drained, and our personal budgets are going to be slashed.