Budget Boneheads

A couple of days ago, we commented that Democrats in the County Legislature have an unparalleled ability to create disasters and miss the boat on important issues. Monday’s legislative meeting may have been a new low for the six Democrats.

On Monday, Democrats voted ‘No’ on a county budget that does not raise taxes, that provides and protects important county services and even sets aside a few bucks to help the county get through rough patches. But Democrats all gave a thumbs down to the 2009 budget, and in the process, gave a huge boost to their GOP rivals and Republican legislative candidates next year.
It’s yet another example of Democrats helping the GOP write campaign literature. How can you portray yourselves as tough on taxes when you don’t vote for a budget that holds the line on taxes? And holds the line while absorbing several millions in new state mandates ordered paid by a Democrat governor?

On Monday, Democrats also were lambasted by resident after resident who urged support for what is a solid spending plan. It’s the second straight meeting where Democrats have gotten a tongue-lashing from residents, who focused on the bizarre plan by Democrat lawmaker Kevin Harrington to spend millions of the county rainy day fund because of one reason or the other.

Aside from the idiocy of Harrington’s plan, what was comical was the fact that even his fellow Democrats either didn’t support the plan or continued to argue that they wanted to increase the rainy day fund. According to our observers, Democrat Legislator Brian Zweig continued to claim that no such plan was ever put forward, until GOP lawmakers embarrassed him by handing copies of a news article from The Record newspaper. And apparently, Zweig and Harrington sit next to each other.

Democrats were absolutely baffling during the budget process. Along with Zweig and Harrington publicly disagreeing over whether they want to spend or expand the rainy day fund, Democrats also publicly attacked residents who spoke at legislative public hearings and never even submitted an amendment or resolution that put any of their strange ideas on paper. To cap it all off by voting ‘No’ on the county budget, a budget that holds the line on taxes, is the capper on some of the most bone-headed budgeting in history.