I keep reading that we’re not in a recession any longer, but you couldn’t tell it by my budget or the local economy.

Here’s a story about where I live–Montgomery County, Maryland–and how the once-prosperous government is having to deal with reduced income:

>>Montgomery braces for eyesores, safety hazards with new budget cuts

Filthy bathrooms. Tall grass. Legions of potholes.

Some analysts say those images of disrepair will become commonplace throughout Montgomery County, with widespread cuts proposed by County Executive Ike Leggett.

“[County] Council staff is concerned about the cleanliness and condition of county facilities, such as recreation centers, community centers, libraries and health care and day care facilities,” a staff memo says. “There are public health concerns and also concerns about loss of revenue that will occur if people stop participating in fee-supported activities or leasing space because of the condition of the facilities.”

Leggett recommended $1.5 million worth of reductions in cleaning and grounds maintenance as part of $36 million in midyear cuts to help close a $100 million gap this fiscal year.

Under Leggett’s plan, bathrooms in public facilities would be cleaned twice a week instead of daily, half a million dollars of building maintenance would be eliminated and $200,000 worth of building repairs would be deferred. Mowing, leaf and tree removal would be less frequent.

“We will not have the ability to keep public facilities looking the way they should,” said Councilwoman Nancy Floreen, D-at large. “They won’t clean the bathrooms as much; the grass will be higher. “I think our residents will start to see very visible results of our budget cutting. “We are getting close to the bone.”

Council staffers also recommended that officials find new cuts in lieu of Leggett’s proposal to further slash funding for road resurfacing, patching and traffic devices — a cutback that would ultimately “result in increased traffic congestion.”

Fewer tree branches will be removed and less greenery planted to save $1.17 million; disabled vehicles will remain on the roads longer, with the elimination of the county’s service patrol program; contractual mowing cycles have been cut in half for a savings of $160,000; fewer roads will be patched; and 31 fewer traffic signals will be re-timed under measures already approved this year.

The County Council is expected to approve a final savings plan before its Christmas recess.<<

Montgomery County was once the richest county in the state. Those days appear to be long gone in this awful economy.

It seems appropriate to play the “Poverty Carol” as sung by Christine Wyrtzen today:

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