(Community Matters) While the Tea Party shrinks, waterboards & drowns the baby, more public costs must be covered locally. This summer I started to oppose city, county & school district budget increases (the hospital district tax increase to fund a medical school always being a huge exception – I’m wildly supportive) before I remembered we’re making up for more & more costs previously covered by federal & state dollars.
I’m still disappointed with AISD trustees for across-the-board teacher raises and w/ the three county commissioners who approved 10% raises for county peace officers. While not begrudging fair pay, these raises are budget busters &/or bad timing for the politics of sustainable, long term funding. Nevertheless, I don’t support the Nordquist/GWBush/Perry strategy of revenue starving to justify cutting essential public services, so of course we’re having to raise downstream taxes. Simultaneously, we have to innovate, streamline & sunset the expenditure of every dollar. Governments rarely innovate without serious financial pressures. Maybe we should have to find ways to save $1 for every $2 or some multiple of increased taxes.
Community Matters 