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Tom Germond
Too much spin and government
By TOM GERMOND
Article published on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 |
The wrangling over tax reform among our politicians has about as many subplots as the latest “Pirates of the Caribbean” flick.
Enough is enough.
Take property values. I’m tired of hearing government speak such as “highest and best use.” I’m still not sure what that means.
The “highest and best use” of our lawmakers right now would be for them to make sense out of our tax structure.
Up until now, all residents have seen is legislative posturing and lip service – and a lot of finger pointing between state and local officials.
Local officials blame state legislators for passing on unfunded mandates to school boards and city and county governments. Legislators contend local government spending is out of control.
Look who’s talking, local officials scream.
Skeletons rubbing elbows in every closet.
Sure, many proposals bandied about among legislators were farfetched and would have crippled local governments.
But local governments don’t do themselves any favors by throwing money away – such as waging turf battles with each other.
How many thousands of dollars did county and city governments in Pinellas County spend on their spiels over the charter amendments? How much did taxpayers shell out to lawyers?
Squabbling over annexation, services and development standards are common in Florida. Disagreements are bound to occur. But litigation should be the last resort, especially when residents are taxed to the limit.
I’m also not totally opposed to government at any level spending money on propaganda. But there is good spin and silly spin.
In conjunction with the official start of swimming season, this came in recently from the Pinellas County Health Department:
“Don’t swim when you have diarrhea. You can spread germs in the water and make others sick.”
And contrary to what you might think, diarrhea isn’t considered shark repellent.
Don’t swallow pool water, either, the health department’s news release said.
Shiver me timbers! Learn something every day.
I’m not quite sure what the “highest and best use” of this news release would be, but it’s making me nauseous.
As a taxpayer of Largo, I’d like to think my city commissioners could use my money more wisely than spending it on a silly investigation involving city officials when the allegations were vague from the get go. Kudos to Sheriff Jim Coats for shooting it down.
Largo isn’t alone. I can’t count how many times throughout my career I’ve watched elected local government officials ask for investigations over childish disagreements among themselves just to “clear the air.” Such a motive is often a synonym for “vindictive.”
I’ve seen investigations of investigations that create nothing but paperwork and fodder for columns.
I remember several years ago the St. Cloud Police Department was asked to determine through an investigation who sent an anonymous letter to city officials suggesting satirically that they rename the town “Sewer World” because of an issue involving a sprayfield. Paranoia run amok.
No wonder why people complain about too much government.
Cutting taxes isn’t a cure-all for financial waste. But in the wake of citizen unrest about high insurance and property taxes, government officials need to be sensitive to concerns about frivolous spending. Finger pointing among governments over who wastes the most money only fosters public distrust.
I’ll at least give Gov. Charlie Crist credit for wanting to get rid of government speak. Can we find better language than “highest and best use” and “portability” in defining tax problems?
Just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach.
Don’t worry; I’m not going swimming.
Tom Germond is executive editor of Tampa Bay Newspapers.
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Article published on Tuesday, June 12, 2007
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