Mercer county is broke
Mercer County is facing severe budget problems and has only enough reserves to pay their payroll expenses one more time. The State of Illinois has cut more than $225,000 from it's funding for the county since 2001
In April 2004, the board learned it had to deplete its reserves and had about $183,000 in the general fund to pay its $200,000 monthly payroll and bills. At Tuesday's board meeting, board members learned the county has about $91,000 in its checking account and investments.
"We've got enough to cover payroll one more time, but after that, that's it," said board chairman Tom Harris. "That's how close to the edge we're running."
The board has until March 11 - the next payday for county employees - to receive county tax revenue from the state.
posted by The Inside Dope @ 3/04/2005
4 comments
4 Comments:
Just one more casualty of Illinois' failure to pass a comprehensive property tax-for-income tax swap to help fund schools. Our taxing system, which relies far too heavily on the property tax, is draining our municipalities of needed revenue.
This also a direct consequence of Bush's failed economic policies. That administration cares not about small-town America, otherwise they wouldn't be running up the biggest deficits in U.S. history.
Kudos for pointing out the direct effect of Bush's giving away the store to the wealthiest among us.
But the Bushies say, "Oh boy! We get an advance of $300 on our tax refund! Thank you BUSH!! We love you and will vote for you forever. We don't care that the trickle down effect of your reckless tax givaways to the wealthy will drive up our actual tax burden by a huge amount.
We won't blame you, we'll blame the local guys!!!"
I can't believe more people in Mercer County or any other strugglnig county don't connect Bush's enormous tax cuts for the top 1% and their dis-investments in Rural American with their county's declines.
Bush has one of the worst economic records of any modern administration, yet rural Illinois voted for him over Kerry-Edwards.
Folks need to read "What's the Matter with Kansas"
Dissenter, thanks for the back up.
But don't you wonder why more folks don't make the connection between our failed tax policies that harm rural counties and those who push that failed status-quo set of policies? It's obvious Democrats are making the case, and it's obvious that Republicans just pour that patriotic syrup over everything that keeps too many folks from giving these issues a critical look.
Bottom line is that Democrats need to communicate better with rural Illinois. I am Rock Island County native, but I'll be damned if I'm going to let Whiteside, Henry and Carroll Counties slide downhill.
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