Death by little nicks

A nick here, a nick there. No big deal? Well, before you know it, the patient has bled to death.

The patient in this case, Mr./Mrs. Kootenai County Taxpayer, is starting to look like a totem pole in progress. Let us count just a few of the nicks:

• The biggest NIC this budget year comes from North Idaho College, which is carving 3 percent more out of property taxpayers.

• If you live in Coeur d'Alene or Rathdrum, you'll almost certainly be paying an additional 1.5 percent in property tax in the coming fiscal year.

• And because you live in Kootenai County, your property taxes are almost certain to increase yet another 1 percent, thanks to the recent 2-1 vote by the Board of Commissioners.

These are hits to your wallet strictly from the property tax perspective. The broader perspective - real outgo versus personal income - is just as agonizing. Some communities are increasing service fees and many Kootenai County residents are going to be paying more for their Avista electricity and gas; how much more is the question that has yet to be answered. Meanwhile, we reported this week that in the past year, personal income in the greater Coeur d'Alene area dropped 1.5 percent.

When times are as historically difficult as they are right now, we cannot fathom how any governmental agency can consider anything but cuts to keep its operating budget in line with what its constituents can afford. Among the chorus of "boos" that accompanies the County Commission's decision to increase property taxes, we do single out for applause Commissioner Rick Currie, who voted against any property tax increase.

One of the painful realities of all these tax increases is the minefield they've created or at least added to for a most worthwhile regional investment. We're talking about the technical high school campus proposal that goes before voters in all three Kootenai County school districts Aug. 24.

We contend that the average citizen will see absolutely no benefit from the increased spending at municipal, county and community college levels. These are all examples of governmental growth at the expense of struggling citizens.

Yet we would argue adamantly that the average citizen will see a strong return on his or her investment in a technical campus that will have an immediate impact on employment and construction while, longer term, bolstering our region's shrinking middle class.

In fact, we will make that argument, this Sunday.