Shorter, but still hairy
Two articles from Friday:
"Council cuts back on big borough tax hike: Increase is trimmed down to 14 cents": the Borough's $21.8 million budget means "$486 more in taxes, an increase of nearly 20% over 2003". On Sunday, March 14 I had mentioned that the average tax increase was estimated at $700. No joy in reporting either; mismanagement and overspending continue.

"Bigger Library will charge larger user and late fees": the Library's $3.7 million budget is short $50,000 "because a request for municipal support for new books was dropped". Imagine that. We also lean that the Library will soon be accepting credit cards: "While the library would have to pay for the service, it would save on staff time devoted to counting and rolling lots of quarters, nickels, dimes and pennies every night"., said the Library's executive director.

What do you say the library gets a CoinStar machine in the lobby so the public can use it, and the Library can save itself credit card transaction and service fees, and staff time? CoinStar even offers a Coins That Count program for supporting non-profits. Even the Tooth Fairy knows about CoinStar.