County must spend less in bad times

Editor:

Over the past few months I have noticed that our local government officials are very ignorant as to how a business operates. In my eyes, the government can and should be run like a business. The time to perform capital improvements, increase salaries and replace equipment would be during a favorable economy, not a recession. In today’s economy, businesses in the private sector are not giving salary increases and building new offices.

Instead, they are struggling to pay the high overhead. With electricity, fuel and insurance all increasing and profit margins becoming narrower and narrower, there is nothing left over. These expenditures that are beyond your control cannot be cut.

When running a business you must manage the expenses that you can, such as salaries, benefits, building and expansion until there is a more favorable economy. This is just good business practice!

“Officials eye using ‘rainy day’ fund” in the Oct. 23 issue points out very well the arrogance of our local government. I don’t think there is a citizen in Madison County that would approve of his or her “leftover” tax dollars going to salary increases for our beloved government employees. The “rainy day” fund is where the county over-taxed the citizens in the first place.

If a county employee misses his or her “scheduled raise,” he or she has two options – either stick it out like everyone else living in these hard times or resign. If he or she decides to remain a team member, remember that valued employee the next time there is a promotion available or when the economy rebounds you give him or her that much-needed raise.

If he or she decides the raise was much too important and resigns, thank him or her for his or her service and wish him or her good luck. There are few private sector jobs with built-in raises regardless of performance out there.

Look on the bright side, there are plenty of people looking for work today. Maybe you will fill that position with a more qualified person, and let’s not forget that this person has not yet been promised a raise.

John G. Lamb II
Madison