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Wanted, in Westmoreland County: Budget accountability

Date published: 7/11/2008

The Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors has finalized the county budget for 2008-09. The budget is a staggering $56 million, with a tax increase of more than 13 percent.

The spending and debt are out of control, with a debt of $20 million and only about $22 million in revenue. That's quite a high debt-to-revenue ratio.

Are taxpayers concerned about the direction the county is heading? Most often, a change in "business as usual" is slow in coming, but it can and will happen if residents work toward common goals.

This association, with these concerns in mind, has forwarded questions to the Board of Supervisors as a way of trying to gain some accountability of county spending.

When was the last time a study was done to determine the cost-effectiveness of county employees' driving their own vehicles back and forth to work versus driving county-owned vehicles?

Are mileage logs kept on the use of county vehicles?

Are there guidelines for who should be allowed to take vehicles home?

Shouldn't the use of county vehicles be based on the likelihood that an employee will need to respond to an after-hours call?

Are logs kept on fuel consumption? What do gas, inspections, insurance, and maintenance cost?

How many county employees use county vehicles? What's the distance driven for each vehicle, and how often are these vehicles used in emergency situations?

Do the employees pay taxes on money they get for personal use?

This nonprofit, nonpartisan organization welcomes all concerned residents to join us in our endeavor to take back the out-of-control spending and debt in this county.

R. Kennon Morris

Westmoreland

The writer is president of the Westmoreland County Citizens Association.

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Date published: 7/11/2008