This year, you can’t fault our new Westmoreland County commissioners for inheriting a bloated budget and almost zero reserve funds. Someone in Harrisburg should’ve admonished the former commissioners for falling below the recommended $20 million reserve fund threshold for emergencies.

Will their current plan to build up the Mon Valley, expand internet access and improve training be enough (“Big plans for Westmoreland outlined at annual State of County luncheon,” Jan. 9, TribLIVE)? We need a real cost-cutting business plan. Taking loans is easy.

Here are a few items to set the tone at the top that are not business as usual until the next election:

1. Vote out expensive project labor union agreements.

2. Bid all new contracts. Dauphin County did this and just gave a tax rebate.

3. Freeze hiring.

4. Put motion sensors on courthouse light switches, put governors on thermostats and turn off the courthouse dome spotlights at 11 p.m.

5. Make a smaller payment to the pension fund. It is overfunded.

6. Sell the Rostraver Airfield and Westmoreland Manor.

County residents overwhelmingly voted for a responsible fiscal plan. Hindsight is 20/20, but we voted for foresight.

John Ventre

Hempfield

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