County Budget Up To $26 Million

By Jon A. Brake

Editorial

Each year the Riley County Commission adds to the Budget and each year the Commissioners put off fixing the roads. They only want to talk about the Mill levee staying at 34.637 but the total amount of tax dollars keeps going up.

In 1992 when the County Budget was $12 million the Commissioners did not have the money to fix the roads and bridges. Now the Budget hits $26 million and they do not have the money to fix roads and bridges. What is County government for?

The County needs $4.5 million each year to fix and repair the road and bridge system. For the past few years the Commission has been allocating $3 million and then telling the department to hold off on any repairs until late in the year. If the money is not used for something else the Commission will OK one to three hundred thousand to fix the roads. It is not a very good way of doing business.

In the figures on the right the blank space for "Total Tax Levied" will read $9,472,112. That is up from the $8.8 million in 2001 and $8.1 million in 2000.

This county will not vote for a half-cent sales tax. Fix the roads!