What is the role of local government? How many functions should your town handle? That question came up in the Wake county town of Wendell (that’s Wen’DELL for you carpetbaggers) a couple a weeks ago. The Eastern Wake News has the story here.
The slumping economy has every government around the country facing a budget shortfall. This scarcity of funds has forced the big spenders at cityhall to prioritize their expenses and decide what they can do without.
The folks in Wendell are trying to figure out why the town’s employees cut a lot of grass on private property. This is a good first step. They are examining the role of tax payer funded grass cutting. Unfortunately, what could have been an exercise in reducing the size of government and subsequetly the citizens’ tax burden took a turn towards bigger government.
Instead of ending the ridiculous practice of mowing for the sake of appearances, the powers that be in Wendell are actually talking about forcing a land owner to maintain the right-of way. What is this, Cary?
OK, so the town wants you to mow your grass, so what you might say. Here’s the question: Is that your grass or not. “Citizen, mow the grass on the right-of-way but just don’t install a sprinkler system or build a brick mailbox.”
The town council plans to address the issue at their September 28th meeting.
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