Garnering little attention is a meeting of the County Council on Thursday to discuss its own budget shortfall. The County Council will meet Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. in Council Chambers at the Madison County Government Center, Room 110.
An Oct. 6 story in the Herald Bulletin revealed Democrat councilmen reluctant to touch that “third rail” of politics: job cuts — a task they would rather leave for Republicans.
Council President Bill Savage (D-Dist. 1) sees shorter work hours as a solution, and Councilman John Bostic (D-Dist. 3) is calling for a shorter work week in what amounts to a 20 percent pay cut for all. In fact, Bostic would rather hurt taxpayers with higher taxes than to “hurt personnel.” He added, “Somewhere down the line, that tax has got to come.”
Despite meeting four times in a week, County Councilman Buddy Patterson (D-Dist.2) said the Democrat-led council has yet to find a solution that trims 10 percent of the budget. Accustomed to year after year of increasing budgets, Patterson claims most county departments are unable to find savings. For Democrat councilmen, cutting back is an absurd notion.
“We’re really going to try and prevent layoffs,” Patterson said. But at the expense of taxpayers? Why are higher taxes acceptable — and reducing the workforce is not? It boils down to reasons of political expediency.
Gentlemen, government is not in the business of saving or creating jobs. That’s a task best left to local entrepreneurs, who by the way, can only thrive in this dire economic climate with lower taxes. Unfortunately, as long as Democratic councilmen continue pandering to the people who elected, the local economy will suffer as a result.
These dodgy wimps will do anything to latch onto power and forever avoid carrying the albatross of job cuts. What heroes they could be if they only had the courage to do their jobs and represent us taxpayers! Is this too much to ask?
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I have heard from a reliable source that the county is going to try to pass a LOIT/COIT tax increase. Tell them that we are taxed enough!
As a Conservative Republican, my instinct tells me to question any tax increase. For once it is passed very rarely has tax been repealed or lowered. If so, another tax is increased or added to make up the difference. No one wants to do with less (employees, money, services, etc), but the reality is that it is happening all over the country (and the world for that matter).Whether you consider it downsizing or rightsizing we must look for constructive and innovative ways to do it better than we ever have in the past.
The perception is (and with good reason) that when government needs additional revenue they only look to the taxpayer or at least look there first. The taxpayer wants to know that government is doing the same thing that they are doing, by making a list of priorities and when the money runs out you stop spending and if your income drops then you start at the bottom of the list and make the cuts.
With open communication and clearly spelling out the options, government along with the taxpayers will be able to come up with ideas and solutions to work and bring Madison County back to a time of prosperity.
A state of constant improvement is what advances a city. It’s what advances a civilization.
Democrats only think in terms of expansion, as in expanding government. But sometimes positive “change” means trimming the fat and cutting jobs.
Lost jobs does not mean people are out of work for good! They may find better jobs, and likewise, employers may find better talent than what is available now.
I’ve got a hunch that a good portion of those whose jobs will be cut will immediately head to the unemployment office and milk it for all its worth.
Call the county coucil and let them know that we do not want any new taxes. Remind them that they work for and represent the people.
At the county council meeting, the $5,000 judges bonus again sees the light of day after they canned it at a prior meeting.
Worst of all, Judge Thomas Clem feels disrespected. Disrespected? I and a lot of other people – feel like we’ve just been defecated on.