Time is now for input on city's budget

While our household budgets can be adjusted from week to week or month to month, the McCook city budget is drawn up once a year.

It's that time again.

It's especially challenging this year in the absence of a permanent city manager, but the budget document is well on its way to being formed.

City councillors as well have contributed their "wish lists" to the stew pot, and, following next week's budget workshops, the the spending plan will go through the final approval process.

A couple of proposals generated by City Council members seem especially important, and we hope the entire council will give them careful thought.

Both deal with ways to reduce water and sewer bills -- something any McCook homeowner should find welcome.

Mayor Dennis Berry suggests using general fund dollars to reduce sewer and water rates, which would certainly help with the shock of opening those summer water bills.

More appealing to us is Councilman Phil Lyons' suggestion to use a sales tax to help pay for sewer and water improvements.

Neither suggestion is ideal. We prefer the "enterprise fund" system already in use, which charges water and sewer improvements to those who benefit from them -- water and sewer customers. It makes us nervous when someone suggests paying for those improvements with some other form of tax.

But McCook has faced extraordinary expenses in solving its water and sewer issues, enough expense, in fact, to justify breaking the enterprise fund rule.

Property taxes are already an excessive burden, however, which leads us to favor Lyons' plan to use increased sales tax. Yes, such a move can be seen as an unfair tax on those who gain no direct benefit, and harmful to McCook's position in competition for retail trade.

But maintaining McCook's attractiveness as a community in which to live is important to its position as a trade center as well.

Both Lyons and Councilman Aaron Kircher are calling for construction of a sidewalk to the Wal-Mart area, which we believe is needed as well. Much of the sales tax revenue on which the city depends is generated at the store, and it's only fair that shoppers who might like to walk, bike or roller-skate there have a safe pathway.

Nothing is more frightening than seeing a young mother pushing a baby carriage along the edge of the highway, accompanied by youngsters on bicycles with training wheels. Without a sidewalk, those who don't have access to a car, or who prefer to get exercise, are forced to take such a route.

Other proposed funding includes a skate park, tennis courts, wiring for shelter houses in Barnett Park, an elevator in the library, and support for entities such as the McCook Economic Development Corp. and Chamber of Commerce.

Now is the time to let your councilman know what you think.