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Some Iowa County Supervisors seem to have developed a political "do as I say, not as I do" attitude after action they took last week. The board voted 11-7 to raid the county general fund of $300,000 for some road and bridge projects. I don't have a problem with the road work being done as much as the procedure used and with some of the supervisors who voted for the issue.
To make a long story short, the new county health and human services building is estimated to have come in $300,000 under budget. The money isn't even cold and buried in the county general fund and a plan was developed recently to grab the money for the highway department.
In political talk this is called "pork" spending or "earmarking."
Some supervisors wanted to be the first at the trough before any other department could claim the golden egg. It didn't seem to matter that the state budget is still in limbo and the county is unsure exactly what cuts will be coming down the road. It also didn't seem to matter that the county board recently voted to proceed with a new emergency communication system that could cost several $100,000.
A decision on where to get the money for the highway department didn't need to be made for three to five months. In fact a motion was made to send the highway request to the county long range planning committee to review along with other budget issues, but it died on a tie 9-9 vote. After all a delay could mean somebody else might get to the hog trough first.
There was absolutely no reason this issue had to be acted on last week and couldn't have waited until a plan was devised on where to get the funding. In fact, had this request been delayed and brought back with a firm plan, the request probably would have been approved unanimously by the full board.
Of the 11 supervisors who voted to make the $300,000 transfer, many had valid reasons which I don't have a problem with. What I do have a problem with is some of the 11 who for months have subjected the board and public to fist pounding, red in the face speeches on "how we need to cut the budget" or "I'm only looking out for the taxpayers." Every spending request that comes in no matter if it's $1000 or $10,000, is looked at with dismay. "Where are we going to get the money?" they fume.
Many of these supervisors ran because of the new health and human services building and claiming it was pushed through too fast and not transparent enough. So what do these same supervisors do? They vote to ram through a $300,000 transfer from the general fund without any study on what effect it will have on the rest of the county budget and with little warning.
There is no doubt had law enforcement, Bloomfield Manor, social services or any other department come in with a request for $300,000 out of the general fund these same supervisors would have had a coronary on the board floor.
I'm all for being a fiscal conservative when it comes to tax dollars. However, the constant theme of the "sky is falling" from some supervisors is starting to wear thin. I'm beginning to think that they would be happy with no county employee living above the poverty level, the county jail being closed and gallows put in the courthouse parking lot and the old and infirm living in tents at the Bloomfield farm. But on the upside, the county would have good highways.
Fortunately for the taxpayers these supervisors are in the minority. The county budget should be scrutinized and every cut and consolidation that can be made without affecting services should be made. Iowa County will have a tight budget to deal with and there will need to be changes. However, Iowa County is very fortunate because of past conservative budgeting to have a reserve fund that is the envy of any county our size and there is no county budget deficit.
That doesn't mean money should be spent unwisely. It means that every budget request should be studied thoroughly and not rammed through quickly.
I've covered the county board for over 20 years and seen many votes take place. I can tell you that the $300,000 transfer last week does not pass the smell test. Had it been done properly, it wouldn't be an issue.
From now on, whenever a supervisor decides to give a lecture about the "poor taxpayers," they should be asked how they voted on this.
The taxpayers should be happy though, as Washington type double talk and pork is alive and well with the Iowa County Board of Supervisors.