It is now time to adopt a county budget. Unfortunately the precise from of the budget makes it rather obscure even, I presume, for a hired independent auditor. One factor is that the stated total appropriations and total revenues include not only fees for public services but also amounts that the Information Technology and the Building Departments apportion to the other departments.  These amounts were once called "Chinese Dollars" by a former chairman. But the present chairman seems to regard the size of these figures as signifying his importance as our CEO.

 These overstated figures may also motivate the legislature into maintaining a large surplus than necessary. The stated general fund surplus is now $8,600,000 but only $4,6000,000 of this is scheduled to be used to reduce the proposed property tax of $18,000,000.  As a legislator I do not intend to vote for any increase in property taxes when an existing surplus of more than 20% of the proposed tax already exists.