The state has
meddled enough in restricting spending by counties and school
boards. The latest effort to further tighten those restrictions is
an affront to home rule.
Lawmakers in the House have introduced a bill that would cap
county and school district spending to 6 percent over the previous
year's expenditures or to a percentage determined by a formula that
takes into account the rate of inflation plus population growth,
whichever is less. The rationale of the bill's sponsors is that cuts
at the bottom levels of government are just as crucial as those at
the top.
The state already keeps a rein on spending by local governments
in the form of tax limitations. Counties and school districts are
not permitted to raise property taxes by more than the rate of
inflation in any given year. But current law allows exceptions in
unusual circumstances.
County councils and school boards can exceed the limits after a
natural disaster or when expanding services. Under the proposed law,
however, that flexibility would be eliminated.
This is one more example of state lawmakers attempting to appear
frugal at the expense of local governments. It's simply one more way
to shift the burden.
Last year, for example, state lawmakers sponsored a referendum on
phasing out car taxes. But who had to make up the lost revenues in
the end? The counties, which collect the tax and rely on revenues
from it to help meet local needs.
In 1998, the state passed the School Accountability Act,
mandating smaller classes among other things, while failing to
produce the money to pay for the changes. Where did the burden fall?
On local school boards.
The state has reduced property taxes and increased exemptions --
largely at the expense of local governments. And now state lawmakers
presume to tell county councils and school boards to do a better job
of containing costs.
A similar bill was approved in the House budget committee last
week that would limit state spending growth to the rate of
inflation. But that bill has not passed yet.
We would recommend that the General Assembly at least place
itself under the same restraints first before imposing them on local
governments. Better yet, let councils and school boards manage their
own affairs as they have been.
As York County Council Chairman Mike Short noted: "Until they get
their house in order, I don't think they should try to tell us how
to get ours in order."
| In summary |
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The General Assembly should leave county councils and
school boards alone.
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