Does anyone else find the amount of county borrowing in the form of bonds a bit daunting? Some of what the county had previously paid for with property tax has been shifted to the 1.5 percent in county sales tax. Even so, the county property tax levy has and is projected to rise in double digit increases in a somewhat futile attempt to keep up with ever-increasing annual budgeted spending. For a county with a population of just over 5,000 residents, the tens of millions being borrowed and the increasing amount of tax being levied is tragically out of balance.
Two sizable county bonds will be finally paid off, one in 2016 and another in 2018. Now our county administrator proposes to “recapture retired debt service” in an attempt to justify even more county spending. Apparently his thinking is that once you fill up the hole you’ve dug for yourself with taxpayer dollars, it makes perfect sense to quickly “recapture” the hole, dig it a little deeper and give taxpayers the opportunity to fill it again with bigger shovels. This “think ahead strategic planning” was obviously conceived by the newly formed Committee of the (W) Hole. The term “recapture” is unquestionably appropriate, as county spending has truly gotten away from them.
One of our county commissioners recently stated, “It is the county’s responsibility to service the needs of the community.” You might see a similarity in this to what a farmer does to “service” his cows…always accomplished with some “bull” involved. The county administration has certainly been providing a lot of bull while “servicing” the taxpayers of Cook County.
Side note: County Highway Engineer David Betts had seen a bit of our county’s “servicing” recently. Safe travels Dave…and thanks for your under-appreciated work over the past seven years.
Bob LaMettry
Grand Marais
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