Ken Robertson's column at right paints a clear picture of the dilemma facing Iredell County. There is no point in sugar-coating the economic hardships -- and their inevitable consequences.
But Robertson stops just short of truly telling it like it is. He ends his column by saying, "There are no easy answers. Difficult choices lie ahead."
The answers might not be easy, but at this point, they are pretty obvious. A better ending to Robertson's essay would have been:
"Iredell citizens will receive fewer services and pay higher taxes next year. Unlike federal officials, county commissioners have to balance their budget. Unlike state officials, they cannot do that by passing along the costs. So, the outcome of this year's budget will be a higher tax rate and reduced services. The higher the tax hike, the more services we retain. The lower the tax rate, the fewer services we will retain. Count on it -- Iredell citizens will be paying more and getting less. That's the economic reality."
As unpalatable as that reality might be, it's not all bad. If the state and federal governments operated the way Iredell County does, we would not owe trillions of dollars. That debt, more than anything else, will hamper America's growth for decades. National politicians have traded future obligations to keep their seats. This has been the practice for years.
Iredell has fiscally conservative commissioners, but they are also reasonable. We do not think the citizens are willing to forego adequate law enforcement and emergency medical services. We cannot remain an attractive county to new industry and a desirable place to live if we have poorer education than surrounding counties.
Iredell will retain its reputation as a low-tax county -- even with a tax increase. It must also retain its reputation as a county with good schools and good services. Your commissioners will have to strike that balance, and that will not be easy. But it is necessary and they deserve our understanding and support as they do the job we elected them for -- serving the best interests of Iredell County and its residents.
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