Do you hear that?
Yes, that whining sound.
Oh yeah, it is budget time in Jefferson County.
That whining is the county administration complaining that they cannot dip farther in our pockets past the 1 percent property tax lid.
If they could have more of our money all our problems would be solved.
They will not tell the citizens that new builds, commercial and personal, are exempt from the 1 percent lid.
So, the county revenues could be increased by smart growth.
The county’s proposed budget dips into reserve funds once again this year.
Do they need to dig deeper in the reserve funds or our pockets?
The county’s focus on small businesses has not pulled us out of the recession, but the more pertinent question would be, has it kept us there?
We need businesses to attract shoppers.
We need businesses to bring livable-wage jobs to Jefferson County.
We need leaders to re-evaluate the economic development plan that has not worked for the last 15 years.
Jon Cooke,
Quilcene
EDITOR’S NOTE: Jon Cooke is the chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party.