The Republic
EVEN with the toll of the June 7 flood taken from consideration, Columbus offi cials were faced with a looming budget deficit that threatened many services residents had long taken for granted.
According to city officials, the problem was created by the Indiana General Assembly which, in the interest of reducing equally frightening property taxes, placed limits on just how much local governments could receive.
Absent the ability to institute remedies, city officials say they have no choice other than making deep cuts.
The picture painted by Mayor Fred Armstrong is unpleasant. The exact details are still to be revealed but department heads have been asked to propose budget reductions by 5 percent for the rest of this year and 10 percent next year.
Whether those cuts will be carried out will be determined when revenue figures are fi rmed up in the coming months. At this point it appears that the mayor is preparing for a worst-case scenario.
Even with that worst-case scenario, it is important for the public to recognize that basic government services such as police and fire protection, sanitation pick-up and water and sewage service will continue.
For the most part, it appears that the cuts will force residents to tighten their belts and get by with less.
The question is whether that is a wise move not only for this generation of Columbus residents but for those to come.
While the mayor has referred to potential cuts as in the area of nonessential items, those items have indeed been essential in providing a quality of life that has made Columbus so successful.
If the people of Columbus recognize the importance of this quality of life, they will have to accept the fact that it will come at a higher price than they are paying.
However, the city needs the help of other government entities.
Armstrong would prefer the Legislature grant municipalities an ability to ask citizens to adopt taxes to pay for services.
That's a complicated process and won't be happening anytime soon.
The other option is for Bartholomew County Council to adopt one or more taxes that would ease the burden on the city, either through an economic development income tax or a wheel tax (a levy on vehicles applied only to road projects).
That too is a difficult process given the reluctance of some County Council members to raise taxes of any kind, especially ones that would be targeted at the biggest government unit in the county.
That attitude is counterproductive, not just for city residents but for the thousands who live outside city limits.
The reality is that Bartholomew County's economic health is dependent to a large degree on that of Columbus.
This is not a city versus county issue.
Like it or not, we're in this together.