It's THAT Time of the Year Again (Part One)

Post #48

Yes, it's "Tax Time" again.  April 15^th is an infamous day to many folks, since it’s when we pony up to the government.  Some might have filed their return already, anticipating a sizable refund that will help cover household bills, while others (including us) will feel a pinch as we write checks to cover the amount due.

Because Americans work so hard to earn the money that fills the government's coffers, I think government needs to treat those funds with great respect.  Most of us can’t wrap our brains around the enormity of a $32 billion Maryland state budget or even $4.3 billion Montgomery County budget.  If elected officials were to treat the budget they oversee as if it were their personal account, I suspect that the spending decisions might be more carefully considered.

Here's one example of a costly and foolish decision our state made in recent years. In 2001, the General Assembly voted to jettison the fully functional voting machines, replacing them with new electronic systems.  I vigorously opposed the change and was the lone voice in opposition to this sure-to-pass legislation.  By raising concerns about cost, security, and the reliability of this new technology, I came within six votes of defeating the bill.  Unfortunately, the state went forward.   

Just a few years later, legislators voted nearly unanimously to ditch the new machines and revert to the Optical Scan systems that 14 jurisdictions had already been using.   Modifying a decision based on updated findings (like security and reliability of this new technology and lack of a paper trail) is fine, but this mistake was at a cost of over $100 million dollars in taxpayer money!

Whether big or small, all government expenditures should be carefully analyzed.  Is a particular program performing the way had expected?  Are Marylanders being served well?  At tax time and at all times of the year, it's what taxpayers should have the right to expect from their representatives.

I would love to hear from you, dear Blog reader!  What sort of litmus tests do you think decision-makers should use when analyzing a proposed budget?  Please send an email to Blog@CherylKagan.org or click on the "Comments" link below to express your views.  Please be sure to indicate which post (#48) you're addressing.

Thanks for reading.  I will post again soon.