Walworth County Administrator David Bretl writes a column at Walworth County Today. His latest offers this observation on municipal spending —
The public has become desensitized in recent years regarding the true meanings of the words freeze and cuts. Tax rates for counties, for example, have been “frozen” for many years at 1992 levels. While that sounded like fiscal restraint, it meant that taxes were generally allowed to increase at the same rate as property values. During much of the past decade, as property values grew around the state at double-digit annual rates, property taxes escalated, as well.
Over the years, various governors have implemented “freezes” of their own. The latest one limited the annual growth of most municipal levies to 3 percent. Likewise, governments got in the habit of referring to limiting projected increases in spending as cuts. There’s a big difference. If I spent a dollar on something last year and plan to spend 90 cents this year, I have cut spending. If I spent a dollar this year and anticipate that I will need to spend $1.10 next year, but instead spend $1.05, I have not cut spending by a nickel….
My only point is that despite the use of the terms “freeze” and “cuts,” local government spending was generally increasing….
True enough.
Bretl also contends that calling the actual increases of these last years cuts was not meant to be dishonest.
One can’t tell whether it was meant to be dishonest; one can be sure it was false.
In a city like Whitewater, there’s been so much puffery and distortion on municipal finances from its city manager that an encounter with the truth will be like meeting someone for the first time.