Priorities: County has the right idea -- think long-term, frugally

Who knows what will happen when everything is said and done in the county budgeting process.

For now, commissioners and County Manager Lee Smith are talking about doing more with less -- and thinking about long-term goals for the county, not short-term soundbites.

There is not much money to play with, that's for sure.

And county officials are right. This is not the year for grandiose projects that are not quite funded all the way, or items on the list that are not necessities.

That kind of spending would be best during another year, when there is much more play in the funding that is going to come from state and federal governments -- although counting on that is really living under the rainbow.

And the reality is, if you are not going to increase property taxes officially -- although a revaluation could bring some new money into the system -- you have to deal with the fact that improving services or adding new infrastructure might not be in the cards. You will just have enough money to pay the same old bills.

Tough year ahead -- unfortunately.

But if their discussions continue in the manner they have so far, Wayne County's leaders might just be on the right track.

Published in Editorials on February 14, 2012 10:41 AM