Last quarter saw -0.3% GNP growth. It looks like we might get another and officially be in a recession. Folks have cut back some purchases, leading to less revenue pulled in via sales taxes.
Toss on top of that falling real-estate values that eventually will bring in less real estate tax revenue.
This will lead to some local governments (to include school districts) trimming their budgets a bit.
If they are true to form, the first thing put on the block will be items like library hours, park maintenance, street maint, trash pickup, etc. The "solution" will be a bond package or increased tax rates to "save the library."
Next item usually placed on the chopping block is police & fire services: less overtime paid out, hiring freeze, staff cuts.
The last thing to be considered is cuts to the government paper-pushers and one NEVER hears of doing things like closing vagrant shelters and the like.
From my perspective, they priorities are just about 180deg out of whack.
1. Give-aways to non-taxpayers ought to be the very first thing axed, especially when they are largely used by folks who don't necessarily reside in the locality or are illegally in the USA.
2. Cuts to the paper-pushers to remove some of the "gov't job security."
3. Quality of life items like libraries, parks, etc.
4. Police & fire depts should tighten their belts.
5. Trash & water services
6. Streets
If the locality was so foolish as to build convention venues and hotels, they ought to be sold off in order to bring the budget into balance.
