GilfordGrok

Palm Beach County commissioners reject demands to rein in their spending

Turning back a wave of residents clamoring for slimmed-down county spending, Palm Beach County commissioners Tuesday rejected a recommendation that they hold the line on the budget and slammed their own advisory committee for making the suggestion

There are those in Gilford (Mr. Arel, Mr. Dormody [who was against it before now running for it] among others),  that wanted to have a Budget Committee that was going to be strictly advisory.  By disbanding the current BudComm, they would have settled for one that would have been appointed by the Selectmen as opposed to be elected by the voters. 

Thus, it would have seemed to be a BudComm, but with no real power to actually do something. 

Essentially, as the rest of this story unfolds - it would have been toothless (just like this story's one).  And subject to the whim of those that did the appointing - the Commissioners that pawned off their elected responsibility to manage on behalf of their constituents to a handpicked Budget Committe that then advocated for overall cuts.

Watch what happens when the BudComm doesn't "get it" and says the "right thing". 

Residents told commissioners that because county spending has spiraled in recent years, property taxes are forcing people from their homes and stifling the real estate market.

Commissioners were defensive, quarreling with speakers and blaming state legislators for passing down unfunded mandates. Commissioners unloaded on the Budget Advisory Committee chaired by Commissioner Warren Newell, threatening to replace board members they appointed just months ago unless the committee changes its focus.

Sure, appoint them, and when they do not provide the "cover" they wanted, threaten to sack them.

And ignore them. Or keep on berating them.

Of the 16 percent increase in county property taxes this year, resident Virginia Brooks said: "That's nearly triple the combination of population growth and inflation, and almost double the growth in personal income. I think the solution might be, just like any good household would do, a belt tightening."

Commissioners rejected the budget committee's recommendation to keep 2008 spending to this year's $4.3 billion level.

The commission formed the advisory committee less than three months ago in response to a growing outcry over increases in county spending. On Tuesday, commissioners said the committee should focus on specific programs and county expenses, rather than making broad suggestions. Commissioners each appointed one person to the seven-member budget committee, save for Newell.

"Just telling us, `Go cut,' I think we need to be more specific," Commissioner Karen Marcus said. "If they don't want to do that, we need to put new members on there."

But maybe that's what should be done - instead of cutting a small number of projects, by level funding the budget, it would give time for incomes to catch up.  Maybe, that's what the Commissioners should have done on their own, standing up to their own responsibility.  Instead, they're making sport of the folks that they set up on this mission.

Commission Chairman Addie Greene took it a step further.

"Why do we need this committee?" she asked. "It's my personal opinion it's a waste of time."

They didn't need it.  But once appointed, should they be pot-shotting it?  No, but they it seems that they are ignoring its recommendations.

About a dozen residents spoke on the spending issue, all hammering home the same theme: County spending is out of control, leading to crippling property tax bills for anyone without a longtime homestead exemption.