Here & There Column 10-27-09

This Could Be An Easy Solution?

You can shake your head, point fingers, cry poverty and still raise taxes or try, yes I mean try and see what the major problem is and fix it right.
Now we truthfully can't predict anything on this subject because our economy is still sick, unemployment is high, the powers to be in Washington are trying to come up with solutions and now government in Sullivan County is saying we have a $7.6 million budget shortfall with a projected 100 or so county employees facing layoffs.
Could it be possible that county government over the years has gotten just too big, was there careful considerations given to consolidations of services and offices...was there ever a true effort made to run government like a private business?
These are questions which run rapid when decisions of layoffs is made and revenues shrink at a time when spending continues to rise.
Now there are some that say the spending was mandated but does a private business hire new employees and add additional products and services when unemployment is as high as it is and folks are not spending like they use to.
Many will say government is just too big......some have advocated consolidation of village governments into town governments and even taking town governments and consolidate then into a city structure and replacing the existing county governments.....there is just too much government with too much duplication of services ........is it too simple for politicians to understand that too much costs too much and folks just don't like being hammered with continual increases in taxes and this fee and that fee.
Our state government can's handle their financial woes and so place the burden of services without reimbursements on our local government......folks are calling these undue burdens while others see it as politicians having no financial responsibility.
Examples of fee and suggested tax increases include a new state law that will require motorists to replace all license plates starting next spring.......new plates will cost $25 each and the measure is to raise money for the state......is this the right time to sock it to New York State motorists?
What about Sullivan County proposing new funding called a user fee (others says its just another tax) on trash disposal that reportedly will charge most households about $181 a year whereby presently residents in most towns pay the county $2.50 per a 30-gallon bag of garbage if dropped off at the landfill or a county transfer station.
This nickle and dime approach of saying we are only raising taxes 2 or 3 percent (annually), mandated new license plates and suggesting that there will be a fee on juice drinks has reached the peak of no return.
Government and elected officials had better start getting it right or the down trodden taxpayers and common folks will make the necessary changes.