From the Northwest Indiana Times:
The Lake County
Council will hear many long-winded reasons for increasing spending for various
departments, but the county's primary response should include just two letters:
N-O.
Lake County department
heads are submitting budgets that reflect the twin windfalls the county will
receive -- money from a property tax levy that finally has thawed; and the
other big revenue boost, Lake becoming the final Indiana county to adopt the
income tax.
However, it must be remembered
that a rags-to-riches story can be followed by a riches-to-rags story. There
are many tales of lottery winners who become spendthrifts and go bankrupt.
Learn from their examples.
Remember that
department heads are submitting wish lists for spending next year, and not all
wishes can or should be granted. While saying no can be painful, it's
necessary. It's all a matter of priorities.
Lake County Coroner
Merrilee Frey said she needs an additional $112,000 to pay for autopsies.
"They do one to four every day, six days a week," she said.
Lake County Sheriff
John Buncich said $5 million more is needed to maintain sanitation, health care
and inmate safety at the jail.
Another $3 million is
sought for bridges and flood control, and $7 million will be sought for
employee pensions and health benefits which should not be underfunded, as our
friends in Illinois now know.
But though all of this
seems reasonable, remember that Lake County was forced to borrow $15 million to
make ends meet this year. While the county is getting more money next year, it
won't be enough to meet all the demands for it.
Besides, just because
there's extra money coming in doesn't mean the county should go on a spending
spree. Instead, develop a strategy for how to get the best bang for those
bucks.
"I'm prepared to
say no to everything," Council President Ted Bilski said. That's the
attitude the council will need so it doesn't become like those lottery winners
who squandered their jackpots.
Think thrift, not
spendthrift.
