From yesterday's Herald Mail:

"Washington County's excise tax revenues fell sharply in fiscal year 2007, coming in at $11.5 million below budget projections, Washington County Budget and Finance Director Debra Murray said Wednesday.

The county budgeted $15.3 million for excise tax revenues in fiscal 2007, which ended July 1, but received only $3.8 million, Murray said. The county earned $7.1 million in residential excise tax in fiscal 2006."

Slap a $13,000 fee on new construction and then get surprised when building permits drop? Did anyone involved in this fiasco take economics in college?

Heck it doesnt matter what the majority of college grads take, most only get their degree because of old money or govnt aid paying for it. It doesnt necessarily mean that they are intelligent. I tell you one thing though there is way too much waste by both govnt, non profit agencies and regular businesses.

Yeah, it is a fiasco. Hard to believe they didn't take the housing slump into account.



I got my degree by working my way through college and taking out student loans (which I paid off myself). I can guarantee you that most people with college degrees didn't get them because of "old money," and gov't aid for education has been slashed drastically in the past several years. A college education is what you make of it, and earning a degree does demonstrate a certain degree of intelligence, commitment, and plain old hard work.

my daughter owned a house and a lot next door, she wanted a new house so she had to pay the 13,000 dollars to build, she lived here all her life,already owned a house, but had to pay that fee to just move next door. it dont make any sinse to me.