The Washington County Commissioners have undoubtedly endeared themselves to the local citizenry with the passage of a tax increase for the coming year. In the midst of a stagnate recession no less. If you happen to live in the City of Washington this comes as a double whammy as the city also has once again raised the real estate tax on land and increased the earned income tax to all city residents. The county increase is 3.5 mills. The commissioners say they raised the tax reluctantly. To ease the pain supposedly the county management will be receiving a reduction in compensation next year. Wages are frozen but the managers will be contributing to the cost of health-care premiums for the first time. Wow! What an absolutely novel idea. The rest of us have been increasingly sharing those costs for a number of years and find no solace in this news. What we really need to see is the county workers paying at least half of their health care costs next year. They should share the pain many of us have suffered over the past few years of paying out upwards of $750 per month for a single person just for health care. And what's wrong with a 4 day work schedule for all county employees until things get turned around with the economy? I have no qualms with seeing the courthouse closed up on a Monday or a Friday, do you? Once things get back on track they can go back to a 5 day work week. The commissioners rejected cutting the length of the work day or shuttering county offices one day a week, as some counties have done, because it would not result in enough of a savings. To which I say WTF!!! Any savings are better than none.

The commissioners say that of the nine SW PA counties we have the lowest taxes. Well duh! Why do you think our surrounding neighbors are all wanting to move into this county? We have a tremendous growth rate in the county that translates into new homes being built, a plethora of retail outlets and many other benefits directly from this influx of population over the recent years which all contribute to the collectible tax revenues. Sure commissioners, go ahead, raise taxes and slow that growth down real quick along with the related revenues.

Contracts with the county's largest unions expire Dec. 31, and negotiations are continuing, said Scott Fergus, county director of administration. Great! Now would be a great time to cut out the fat in these union contracts. Let em go out on strike, there's plenty of available and willing unemployed out there to replace them, temporarily or permanently.

That's the way I see it! What's your view? There is a poll running on my website that is related to this issue.

Jon DePoe
CurbChat.com