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| Voters have given Liberty County a gift. What gift will Liberty County give? |
No promises were made. There won’t be any quotes for future political opponents of this wave of new Republican officeholders in Liberty County to remind the voters of. It was not even implied. But this last election COULD result in a great deal more than putting more conservative more common sense people in leadership positions.
Taxpayers could actually get the best Christmas present they could possibly dream of from those now preparing to run our county government for the next four years. In a few short weeks after the swearing of our new officials, taxpayers could witness an effort never before seen in this county’s history. We could see a commitment to pairing down the bloated 2011 budget and return the numbers recorded in the 2007 budget. Numbers that are 50% smaller! What a gift that would be to the taxpayers!
Think of what could be done if our new officials would commit to this. We could pay off certificates of obligations early and keep a bond rating that will drop soon if the election had gone the Democrats have acted powerless over the years and pointed to the appraisal district as the culprit when people have complained their tax bill is higher.
Our new public officials could right some more wrongs too. They could come up with a responsible plan forward with the old Walmart building. Sell it and get it back on the tax rolls. Or use it and sell other county properties if the numbers justify it, but do something.
If we would get away from the insane expenditures in the current 2011 budget, Liberty County can also spend some of taxpayer’s money better. For example, one of the things citizens expect our government to provide is fair and just and well run courts. For those who mischaracterize and unfairly criticize Republicans, our new officials could actually invest in better government by appropriating money for a court reporter for the County Court-at-Law court. What thinking human being could possibly object to such an expenditure. We are against waste and against government wandering into areas they have no business. Few, if any, would object to an effort to get back to the 2007 budget and taking some of the money take in from taxes to insure a better justice system.
On the other hand, some have suggested even the 2007 budget numbers may be high for one area in our courthouse. Revelations of all of the money taken in by the District Attorney’s office and not accounted for are soon to come. But taxpayers are never interested in slush funds with no accountability. One of the little extras taxpayers could have in the gift wrapping is a commitment to slashing the District Attorney’s budget in lieu of bringing those funds Liberty County is receiving in seizures and drug busts. Those funds should lighten the burden of the taxpayer, not lighten the accountability of whatever politician is in that office. Soon, facts and figures will show, in the last few years the Liberty County DA, Michael Little has doubled his budget and is doing half the work. Lawsuits and allegations of illegal 'homosexual sex for sentencing favors' and 'political vendettas' swirl around Michael Little and his office. Where is Liberty County DA, Michael Little's accountability?
Liberty County citizens shouldn’t expect the Christmas gift described above, but it is possible. Oh sure, we can’t go back to the exact figures of the 2007 budget. And sure Democrats have gone out and spent more and more money and we have more bills to pay since the 2007, but we are not mindless un-empowered victims. We can do things smarter; we can overcome past administrations’ decisions and liberal stupidity out of Washington D.C. We can roll back to what was plenty four years ago.
That, Mr. and Mrs. Newly-elected Public Official, is what many of us want for Christmas. Surprise us and make the world sit up and see how it is done.
