Of late, there is a heightened awareness of the cost of government, on a local and national level. This is typical during an economic downturn, much as if an individual who lost income would reassess their priorities and make sacrifices, our government entities are forced to examine where they are spending money or look at ways to increase revenue, and in some cases both.

            The worst things for government to do now is tax the middle class out of existence, or at the very least tax away the middle classes disposable income which drives local and national economies. Sadly, the mindset of some governmental entities has been to deny that there is a problem or blame it on circumstances that are beyond its control or in some cases, attack the data rather than address the issues.

            In order to address a problem, one must acknowledge the problems existence. In this county, our biggest problem is a lack of population growth combined with a decrease in property value. Throw in high taxes to the equation and you have the perfect storm.

            The county does have many things going for it, including good schools and an abundance of open space. What needs to be addressed are the deep pockets of poverty in a few dilapidated neighborhoods and a serious attempt by our county and other governmental officials to address quality of life issues. Put simply, if we fix up the lousy parts of town and create family friendly and clean places for family activities, more people will want to live here and our tax base will increase.

            What is missing from the equation at the county level is a plan to address these issues and spur economic growth. The answer is simple, if you want to increase the value of property and make it attractive to potential buyers, you have to clean it up and fix it up. This cannot be accomplished by sending out an army of code enforcers, it can only be accomplished by collaborating with community organizations and setting aside political differences for the long-term health of the county.

            Once we have addressed quality of life issues, like the lack of safe places for our youth to congregate, then we become a marketable community to large and small businesses. We do not need another Wal-Mart, Chase or Ethanol plant to drive the economy; we need more locally owned businesses and responsible rental property owners. The question we need to ask ourselves as a community is why we are not able to sustain our population in this county or why there is a mad rush out of town when workers finish their shift at the state prison.

            None of this will be easy, but if the county can come together as I have seen it do so many times before, then it can be done as long as we have the type of leadership that will not shirk its responsibilities to the citizens of this county.

            One final note since we are on the subject of responsibilities. Over the next few months, I will need to devote a greater portion of my time to completing my Master's Degree and consequently I will be alternating weeks writing this column with Robert Harding. Robert and I share some of the same views but his column will be his own work. See you in a couple of weeks!