Taxpayers Won't Support County Bailout Plan For Foreclosures

Do you remember when snake oil salesman used outlandish techniques to peddle their products in western movies?

Well, it looks like we now have a new medicine man in town by the name of James Adkins. Hernando County Commissioner James Adkins, that is, who rode into town wearing a white hat, promising lower taxes and smaller government to the electorate last fall. He preached a mantra of "ax the taxes" to the masses and now wants $2.5 million of taxpayer money to bailout an industry that was involved in many home foreclosures in Hernando County.

It seems Adkins has engaged the services of the founder of the Government Gone Wild seminars to hawk a local stimulus plan that would be financed with $2.5 million of taxpayer's money. This air of enthusiasm by Adkins to sell this local stimulus plan in Hernando County would make a "western shill" blush with envy.

What part of smaller government don't you understand Mr. Adkins? Responsible taxpayers in Hernando County do not want their hard-earned dollars used for any type of bailout, locally or on a federal level.

Responsible folks in our community are already grappling with the notion that we will be forced to cover the bad debt of some consumers in this nation. Are you now telling us that you want another $2.5 million from the local general fund to reward bad debt, Mr. Adkins? When did it become the taxpayers' responsibility to bailout homeowners in the foreclosure crisis?

There is no "silver bullet" to fix this economic solution, Mr. Adkins, other than pure grit and determination by the private sector to put people back to work. We don't need any more government spending to create an even larger deficit in our lives.

Anna Liisa Covell

Nobleton