Hamilton County has a severe ostrich infection. It inflects Mr and Mrs Citizen Ostrich and the County Commissioner Ostrich Family. The syndrome effects our public services such as fire, EMS, police and education.
The disease causes the affected to believe that public services can operate each year on the same amount of funds as the previous year, in other words, no tax revenue increases.
The question that I then pose to Mr. and Mrs. Citizen Ostrich and Commissioners Ostrich, is are we to expect less monies for the operation of fire, police and public service vehicles? Are we to expect a decrease in the number of public protection servants as they might leave for a few pennies more working for another agency? How amazing as we continually watch how inflation hits our pocketbooks; but, we expect public servants to offer more with less funding.
Inadequate funding may be only one of the answers to poor student performance.
Having lived in several states where the school districts are independent of local county commissioners, a complete layer of politicians is eliminated and, in my opinion, resulted in a much more effectively run school system.
Our local Commissioner Ostrich syndrome appears to put personal reelection goals and other matters far ahead of education needs and requirements. I do applaud Mayor Coppinger for his position regarding the upcoming School District budget. But, he alone is not the antibiotic for the Ostrich Syndrome.
Although I am a conservative of the Goldwater era, reality must prevail and those budgets which protect us, keep our streets and roads in top condition and educate us must not be infected by the Ostrich Syndrome.
Ron Peterson