Press: Beware of budget B.S.

In an editorial today, the Coeur d’Alene Press comments:

It’s silly season again.

No, not an election: budgets.

Taxing entities across the county are developing their budgets for the coming fiscal year. With a vibrant economy and an increasingly rosy property tax picture (rosy if you’re collecting, not paying), these taxing entities should be forgiven if they’re salivating over the size of the public funding pie. Or should they?

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office drew some scrutiny recently by requesting six new Interceptor cars that, fully outfitted, will cost taxpayers roughly $360,000 total. While that request wouldn’t seem outlandish by itself, the fact that the KCSO was making its request while eight new cars have been sitting idle for months had some hands reaching for the penalty flag. More here.