Budget Workshop

The newly-elected Board members got a glimpse of the steep learning curve facing them last night at Treasurer Dan Crowell's first 2012 County Budget workshop. But after all the complexities are sorted out – and they are many, especially given the funding traffic among the County, towns, city, state and the federal governments – the news seems better than one might expect. Sales tax revenue is above expectations, and there are other expected expenditures which will be less than anticipated.

It's still a tough time to try and fund a municipal government – and so far it has taken the elimination of 23 full and part time positions to balance the budget. Even though 19 of these position are currently vacant, that will have an impact on services. Our fund balance is in good shape, especially compared with other nearby counties, with the possible exception of the $5 million owed to it by the Manor which, at this point, the Manor cannot pay.

The conversation last night – hard work, tough choices, good people trying to do an almost impossible job – strengthened my commitment to prioritization and planning. If we had a clear view of, for instance, the top three (non-mandated) County priorities, this process would be – well, not easier, but simpler.

The next budget workshop – open to the public – is on Monday, November 28 at 1:00 PM, in the Board room at the County Office Building.

I had an interesting reaction to the Pledge of Allegiance we all said at the beginning of the brief Board meeting which preceded the budget workshop. In a career in public schools, I've said the pledge a million times (most recently that morning). This time, my first as a part of the system of government that the Pledge is about, I was moved to tears by the words – especially “...one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

That's my job – a little part of maintaining that Nation. It's an awesome privilege, and a massive responsibility. I'll do my very best to live up to the confidence of the citizens who sent me to Cooperstown.