HERE & THERE COLUMN

Budgets Could Suggest Different Approach 

 

  We are seeing headlines in our newspaper that local Sullivan County governments are finding it difficult to keep their budgets under the two percent tax cap.

  The Village of Monticello just went through the process and voted to keep their budget under the tax cap but that also meant there is no money to fill four vacant positions in the police department and there is no money for the Ted Stroebele Center, DeHoyas Park and the pool at Dillion Park.

  Mayor Gary Sommers says the village is trying to work with the Town of Thompson to take over the maintenance and run those parks for the season. Thompson Town Supervisor Bill Rieber Jr. has indicated that if the village can't maintain these services he would encourage the Town Board to take ownership of both properties.

  There may be some political differences between the two municipalities but some give and take can help.

  The give and take not only for Monticello and Thompson but for others like the Town and Village of Liberty and other local village and town governments should go even further with consolidation.

  Local governments all over the United States are attempting to find ways to lower spending and increase their accountability.

  People's dissatisfaction with government spending and the quality of local government services has led to a variety of modifications which includes modifying the structure of local governments through consolidation in order to reduce spending and/or increase the quality of local government services.

  Local governments try to protect their own political agenda's rather then study consolidation so it's really up to the tax paying public to demand a more modern form of government that doesn't have to depend on the two percent tax cut to be the factor as to what type of government and services they will get.