The county's budget never tells how all our tax money is spent.
by James Simpson

Potomac News
Friday, March 12, 2004

Can I call it, or what? Last week, as I predicted in my column, Chairman Connaughton, in a different local paper, explained that we were going to have to swallow another huge tax increase or suffer the consequences. Specifically he said: "We are going to see about $100 million of road projects under way, and we are going to see 50 new police and firefighters. If the community doesn't want these things, we'll pull out."

It's always the same strings they pull. There is never anything in the budget to cut except for fire and rescue, the school budget, or transportation - the results of which will be that your kids could be doomed to stupidity, your commute will take even longer, or (even worse yet) your lives will be in jeopardy.

In the mean time the county provides money for tourism and the performing arts. It donates money to charities. It acquires historical properties and develops them. It runs golf courses, parks and pools. It donates money to museums. This list goes on and on... but heaven forbid we let the taxpayer's have any relief by cutting back these budgets or increasing user fees. Of course, I use the term "donate" loosely as the Supervisors are really just transferring our money to causes they deem worthy.

During the Prince William County Board of Supervisors meeting this past Tuesday, which I was regrettably unable to attend, Supervisor Stewart was chastised by Chairman Sean Connaughton after he sought Board approval in asking county Budget staff to submit another budget proposal based upon a figure of $1.01 per $100 of assessed value, as opposed to the current proposal of $1.10 per $100 of assessed value.

The debate that ensued was highlighted by a disagreement upon whose job it is to propose budget cuts. Overlooking the fact that the $1.01 per assessed value that Supervisor Stewart was proposing is NOT a cut, I want to address one of the reasons that I tend to agree with Supervisor Stewarts position that this is a job for staff and not Supervisor Stewart or his Budget Committee.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will let readers know that I am a member of Supervisor Stewart's Budget Committee. The Budget, as is presented to the general public and Budget Committee members, is not very transparent.

The problem is, similar items to the infamous $435 claw hammer, the $640 toilet seat and $7,600 coffee makers (at the federal level) could never be found in the county budget, in the format it is provided to citizens. A detailed version of the budget should be available on the county website, and as difficult as it may be for department heads to provide information about where our money is going, it still need to be done.

How do we know if the county is buying fleet vehicles with equipment that is unnecessary to perform the jobs they are procured to perform? Will new vehicles have factory standard audio systems or top-of-the-line stereo systems? If this type of waste is present, which has been uncovered in similar jurisdictions, should we really have to wait until whistleblowers to come forward and let the taxpayers know that such expenditures are occurring?

Think this is all a bunch of rhetoric? Let me provide a concrete example. (No pun intended.)

Last year a story in the Potomac News, on April 8, informed citizens of a 62 foot sundial that was going to be included on the site of the county's 10th high school off of Neabsco Mills Road. This sundial would be built out of concrete with a "granite wall", a "brass steel central piece" and "brass Roman numerals."

When I inquired about the cost of this project - since it was not itemized in the $40 Million dollar price tag of the school - I was actually informed via email by Phyllis Dodson (Executive Assistant to Superintendent Kelly), that Mr. Kelly said: "... if the sundial was not included, the price of the school would most likely not have been less."

This is a problem on multiple levels. Let's ignore, for the time being, that the school system is so negligent in its accounting that it can't break out the cost of such "niceties." And the fact that the school system may be getting ripped off on a number of projects since it can't provide a breakdown of where the $40 Million is going to in the construction of a new school. (You can bet that a private company building a new facility would know where every penny is being spent.)

What I would like someone to do is price out a similar sundial for their back yard, and then tell me that the cost is insignificant. If you're a teacher, and you didn't jump up and down about this expenditure, then I don't want to hear your sob stories about how your salary isn't high enough or there isn't enough money for books. You want some extra money? Go chip it off the 60' sundial at the new Neabsco High School.

Again, without any detail, how can citizens provide feedback and direction to their representatives regarding where spending might be cut. Come to think of it, without this level of detail how can the supervisors determine where to make cuts?!?

While Chairman Connaughton is encouraging Supervisor Stewart to consider the oath of office he took, it would do him well to consider the Republican creed, which states: "That fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraints must be exercised at all levels of government"

James Simpson is Vice Chair of the Prince William Taxpayers Alliance.