The finances in Madison County are in a precarious situation. The County Council must come up with a budget in the next 10 days, and the members are still looking for $3.8 million in cuts. Whatever happens the result will be painful, and the county will have to make do with less.
It was encouraging at Tuesday’s meeting that the council members, commissioners and some department heads came forth offering to have their salaries cut 4 percent. Once the ball was rolling, people jumped on and the result was a selfless show of unity and a willingness to put the county ahead of its personnel.
Of course, what everyone is giving up won’t come close to meeting the necessary cuts, but it’s a real and also symbolic gesture that other county workers need to join. It’s like a kid giving up her candy to a friend who had none. Although giving up the candy doesn’t solve the friend’s inability to get her own candy, it’s the willingness and desire to help that is important.
The County Council faces difficult choices as it crafts a budget in the next week. The council will probably look at joining Anderson in raising the county option income tax (COIT) along with more expenditure cuts to meet the goal of $3.8 million.
But a tax increase should be last on the list. The county will have to learn to take what it gets in revenue and apply it to services rendered. There will need to be creative thinking about what the county can and cannot do, and what accomplishments it hopes to meet within budget restrictions. By taking all things into consideration, the county can learn to operate more efficiently within the new reality of less revenue.
All local governments are going through this. The County Council will have another budget hearing on Oct. 22 and a public hearing on COIT on Oct. 26. Members of the public will be on hand to offer input, but at the end of the day the council members will have to vote on a budget. The unity among county officials — as the pay cuts request showed — will certainly be tested when it comes time to cut budget items.
Editorials
Editorial: County officials were right to offer pay cuts
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Editorial: AHS grad rates moving up, must be pushed ever higher
A diploma is a must, but it has to mean something. Anderson High School must do this the right way, not cutting corners and passing students through classes, but making them accountable for learning the subject matter.
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Editorial: With changes to program, why not begin recycling?
The public has to understand the importance of recycling aluminum and steel cans, cardboard, glass, newspapers and certain plastics. Besides minimizing a community’s waste, recycling saves energy, natural resources and the environment.
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Editorial: Reality returns after Super Bowl mania
While we loved what the Super Bowl did for our reputation, it’s time to get back to the real world. Let’s recap the lost week.
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You Said It: About contract, 'Teen Mom,' State of the City
Each Monday, The Herald Bulletin publishes “You Said It,” a compilation of reader comments from www.theheraldbulletin.com, coupled with responses by the newspaper’s editorial board.
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Editorial: Smith speech shows mayor aiming high
The bottom line in Mayor Kevin Smith’s State of the City address Tuesday during the Anderson Rotary Club’s luncheon at Anderson Country Club was simple: To attract investment, you have to make investments.
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Editorial: Bill offered by state Senate honors Fourth Amendment
No law is ever going to rid domestic situations of their subjectivity, but people have a right to be secure in their homes, and the police need to keep this in mind when they come knocking.
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Editorial: Burton's retirement was overdue
Dan Burton has been a fixture in Indiana politics for nearly a half century. A staunch Republican, Burton made waves in the Statehouse and in Congress, but now it’s over. Burton recently announced his retirement and will not seek re-election in Indiana’s District 5.
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Editorial: Tempered excitement for call-center jobs is prudent
Immediately after city officials announced the location of a new call center in Anderson on Jan. 25, the “Yeah, buts ...” started.
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Editorial: Trigger law would give parents too much power
If the state is going to push for charter schools, it has to be a measured action with plenty of debate. There is a reason why the term trigger-happy has negative connotations. It means a knee-jerk reaction with little thought.
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You Said It: About Grandview, new Colts coach and the APA incident
The Anderson Parks board has created a committee to study options for Grandview Golf Course and its restaurant. (Article published Jan. 17.)
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