Are we there yet? Are we ready to throw open our windows and scream at the top of our lungs that we’re not going to take it anymore? I’m getting very, very close.

The federal bailout for banks didn’t work and now we have an even larger “stimulus bill” that does not help small business or create long term jobs. In fact, it will put a higher burden on business while it drags the nation to the socialistic left with massive new government programs.

And every day the outlook from our leaders is grim: Crisis! Disaster! Catastrophe! So much for lifting consumer confidence and building trust in the markets. Their gloomy reports on the economy have been toxic, making an already tough situation incredibly worse.  It’s as if they want to bring the markets and the country to our knees so we will allow the enormous changes being proposed.  The president’s chief of staff said, "Never let a serious crisis go to waste... it's an opportunity to do things you couldn't do before."

Yet in the midst of this severe economic downturn, some of our local officials pretend nothing has changed and they don’t need to either.  Let’s look first at the ongoing saga at NIC:

*The $10 million price tag for the land NIC wants to buy has not been renegotiated, in spite of the drastic real estate downturn.

*NIC refuses to get another appraisal for the land, even though the original appraiser has close business ties with a NIC board member.  The appraiser admitted he lacks experience evaluating contaminated properties, and he ignored the impact of the sewage plant next door.

*NIC will not allow the public to vote on this purchase but they need to borrow more than half the money.  It’s illegal for them incur debt without a public vote, so they are bypassing the law by having the NIC Foundation, which is private, borrow the money for them. We will have to pay it back through foregone taxes and now will pay an extra $1.2 million of interest on top of the outrageous price.

The CdA school district is undergoing a budget crunch but the teachers’ union doesn’t think anything should change:

*The teachers’ union is refusing to consider any reductions in staff, salaries or benefits.  I love teachers and believe deeply in their mission, but come on, check the news: Local companies are downsizing like crazy.  From top management down to entry level, there are laying offs, pay cuts and reduced hours.  A large percentage of parents are now unemployed and the teacher’s union continues to stonewall.  Any compromise would be appreciated and would build good will before the district’s upcoming spring levy.

The only local government group that’s fat and getting and fatter is LCDC, our urban renewal agency:

*New figures from the county show that public tax dollars sent to LCDC rose sharply from $1.3 million in 2006 to a whopping $4.96 million last year.

*The kicker is the recent article in the Press about the builder who sent one of his people to ask LCDC for more public money, on top of what they had already received, to cover overruns on his completed luxury condos. The builder couldn’t go to the meeting himself, he was on vacation in Mexico!  LCDC is thinking about it...

We taxpayers are being pulled from all sides.  Our federal government wants to spend like never before, and some local officials continue to spend like nothing has changed.  In both cases we, the taxpayers, the source of all government money, are left with our pockets hanging empty as we are handed the bill.  Are we there yet?