Editorial

Thank you, elves

Here’s wishing everyone a fulfilling, prosperous and happy New Year. In this new year, we hope more and more citizens of all ages take more active roles in our many community pursuits, local government actions and our far-ranging series of crucial debates and decisions. It’s a new year for all of us, a year already filled with undone tasks, ongoing conversations and new goals.

Library support

More drugs, more money

July 1 is the start of a new fiscal year for local governments. This is when the county, cities and schools start spending new tax money based on recently approved 2016-2017 budgets. All these budgets tend to launch with the same conclusions: there is never enough tax revenue; there are too many unmet needs; employee and pension costs keep going up; and everything could be solved if we only agreed to raise new taxes and vote for more long term debt bonds.

Water fluoridation

Season of non-violence