While I could not agree more with North Pole's idea to sacrifice a county supervisor to the god of fiscal conservatism, I think North Pole is thinking small. In yesterday's Union Tribune we hear the start of the drum beat for higher taxes in Chula Vista, perhaps the worst run city in the county (no small feat). I think we all have heard what pro-taxers are going to argue -- without higher taxes they'll have to fire all the police officers and fire men, let the parks and roads return to nature, and close all the libraries. From what I understand Chula Vista's budget is (must rely on aging memory) sixty or seventy percent higher than it was a decade ago. Where is the money all going? That's a good question, and the answer, just like with the county, is the pensions and salaries (and severance packages for insiders, and legal bills for politicians). So now the city manager, to his credit, is talking about layoffs and demotions, but I think not because he cares so much about balancing the budget but because he wants to start making the public down there feel enough pain that they will be ready to accept a new tax (this is a suspicion not a fact). The union leaders down there sound even worse:

However, recent updates show this year's deficit will be about $1.5 million higher than expected. City officials recommended earlier layoffs and possible furloughs, angering union representatives. "We continue to go to the table and make concessions and then they say we're short again," said Steve Miller, president of the city firefighters union. "This city can't balance its budget for three months. How can they project for five years?"The city backed off its suggestion of furloughs and early layoffs after union members threatened to revolt, Miller said."The labor groups were going to band together," he said. "We made phone calls. We probably could have filed something with the National Labor Relations Board." (Union Tribune, February 26, 2009)

Getting back to my point, I think there are enough sacrifice opportunities available, we don't have to be so short-sighted as to limit ourselves to the county.