Holding My Tongue

As I start to write this about 5:30am, my fellow blogger, Bernie O'Hare, has yet to publish his piece on the County Budget Meeting. I learned from The Morning Call that Dean Browning broke ranks with his fellow Republicans, and voted against sending the budget back to Cunningham for a no tax increase version. Cunningham's proposed budget, with a 16% increase, now takes effect by default. Bernie has a dilemma; he likes both Cunningham and Brown. I predict his spin will be that they both these heroes made the responsible choice, and damn the consequences. Fellow Republican Dougherty, joined Brown in also rejecting an alternative budget, with a 13% increase. I must question Dougherty's sincerity about the no increase version; Did he vote yes because he knew that Brown was going to vote no, and kill it anyway? Does Brown and Dougherty feel out of $390 million dollars nothing could be cut; that Cunningham is that good? The speech about convicts running loose on the streets, if the budget is cut, is in my mind a crime in itself. In the course of my business, I must chase after a county worker every month. The message on his County answer machine says if you must talk to a live person, call 610 782-XXXX. I suspect he's not the only dead wood. Like most taxpayers, I did not attend the meeting or study the budget, but hoped that our Commissioners would at least shave the 3% from the submitted budget.