Why is it always a gut-reaction of governments when there is a budget deficit to raise taxes? How about a spending cut here or a spending cut there? That is what everybody else does.

I'm doing my best to cut back. My family is doing the same and so are other students. And it's also the natural reaction of businesses to follow suit. Why is it then that everybody cuts back spending but government? Their revenues are down, so what do they do? They raise taxes -- which is going to further stagnate the economy. I'm not asking the borough to cut off funding for anything vital, but I refuse to believe there are no areas for small cuts to be made to make up the $100,000 deficit.

Instead of this tax and spend during a time of recession philosophy, we should all do what comes natural to us and tighten up.

Then and only then will we be able to ride out the tough times. The borough council should dream on that.

Chris McMonagle

senior-political science