Enough with the budget cuts! Unusual times demand unusual action, and our county’s budget has been cut enough. Probably too much; building permit backlogs indicate to the thoughtful reader that our county government is currently underfunded.

The county commissioners have done what we’ve asked them to do: they’ve cut millions from the budget in response to these hard times. They’ve cut their own salaries, they’ve laid-off staff. Now it’s time for the rest of us to chip in to avoid cutting the budget so far that our government becomes inefficient. Governments work best on steady, predictable funding, so now’s time for revenue enhancement, such as a temporary sales tax increase.

There are a ton of services our county should be providing that it currently isn’t, such as curbside recycling, weekend animal control and a vigorous parks department. The weak economy and declining property values have already given us a tax cut. I’ll gladly give back a few cents here and a few cents there to see that Coupeville runs smoothly and facilitates a healthy Island County. How ‘bout pitchin’ in a bit more, eh neighbors?

Bob Hallahan

Oak Harbor