“We need more money.” This succinct battle cry has become the all too often excuse of underperforming government agencies seeking to avoid accountability. For example, the S.C. Commission on High Education recently automatically invoked the “we need more money” excuse as rationale for inexorably perpetuating 14 months of their failure to vet $534 million in projects (The State 1/13/17).
Maybe this department does need some money, but why go after the taxpayers first instead of looking inward first?
This kind of blame the taxpayer first attitude, unfortunately, usually just manifests higher taxes and a lazy government
“If we lower taxes we will have to reduce services” is another similar shallow excuse repeated many times by past members of Fairfield’s County Council. Obviously, we simply have too many people in government who fail to grasp it is the citizens who need more of their money.
Furthermore, Fairfield citizens know all too well spending more per capita does not always translate into the best services.
Perhaps the citizens would have more money and more services if government would first work to improving efficiencies before grabbing for our wallets.
Just once I would like a failing government department head to take accountability and pronounce “you know, we have to run our department in a more efficient and effective manner.”
How about, “your taxes are too high and our services are not good, thus, we must develop better processes and service delivery systems to lower taxes and improve services.” I will take such refreshing accountability over more taxes any day.
Are you listening government officials?
Randy Bright
Ridgeway
