Compromise, taxes and the stuff of American politics | Editorial

The art of compromise and arguing about money — it is the stuff of American politics and family fun.

The debt ceiling debate underlined a basic axiom of our form of government as the hot talk bounced back and forth between the chambers of our federal houses.

Compromise is the bread and butter of our political system and it causes serious indigestion and loss of sleep in many bedrooms around the country.

Government entities from the top of the heap in Washington D.C. to real world here in Kent spend more time sweating blood over budgets than nearly any other issue.

Plenty of issues come before council members, but I suspect most would say the budget is the most time consuming, least understood by residents and the most difficult to wrestle into submission.

Arguing about money is a cottage industry that is thousands if not millions of years old.

Cave guys must have had some sort of commerce that made cave wives say things like, “You spent those mammoth teeth on a hairy shirt? It smells bad and you look like an idiot.”

“I thought it made me look more slender.”

“We have no mammoth teeth for groceries and you’re still fat.”

Some things never change.

During the past couple of months there has been a sizzling discussion on our website over a few million bucks of property tax money used to balance the 2011 budget.

It has caused some testy exchanges at times, as money talk always will, but the discussion is essential to governing.

The comments from the readers have been interesting and quite pointed.

Some of the council members have weighed in with very good explanations of their points of view. Folk may not agree with them, but detailed explanations of their thoughts is more than you will ever get from federal politicians.

Your local politicos generally write their own comments rather than paying a staffer to craft a message in iambic pentameter.

I have always believed if you are really interested in our political system and following your money, go to the council meetings.

The council is made up of your neighbors trying to figure out the city’s checkbook. The council’s job is allotting the money, the executive’s job is spending it. A classic husband and wife arrangement in government.

City budget stories are some of the most difficult to write for a newspaper reporter. Budgets are very complicated and trying to boil it down to a readable form would make Shakespeare throw his pen in the air and become a grocer.

The debate we are seeing over the property tax money for the 2012 budget will be one of the more intriguing issues the Kent City Council will grapple with this year.

The economic signs across the country and our region are not very zippy. In fact, the data is downright worrisome.

The debate over how much money a government should take through taxes and where to spend the money is the hardtack of our system, and people need to weigh in on all sides of the issue.

A claim to cut taxes is the easy part. The eye of the storm is deciding what services a government should be responsible for and which programs and groups should receive money.

Lots of folks want lower taxes, not many are willing to take less of the pie for themselves to get there. Deciding the difference between need and desire will be the debate of the day.

Money is a painful subject in government and in families. I gave up years ago trying to ever get anyone to give me money. I don’t even like myself well enough to give me money.

I remember about five years ago I was at Emerald Downs covering a stakes race and one of my friends hit a superfecta, which is naming the first four horses to finish the race in order.

The payout for him was about $5,000.

I’ll never forget the look on his face. He lost all the color and broke out in a sweat.

I asked him what was the matter.

He said, “This is the end for me. I can’t handle money. This is terrible.”

I reassured him all would be fine and to relax.

He wasn’t fine. He lived through six months of torture until he finally blew through the money and returned to his balanced state of near poverty and excessive gambling.

Money, taxes and finding the balance is tough stuff.