I used to love that show. Marshall, Will and Holly, all on a routine expedition when a strange opening in the cliff swallows them up into an alternate universe full of dinosaurs and sleestaks.

Well folks, Monday is certainly the return to the Land of the Lost. We have Mr. Lawerence's column today taking hits at a local blogger and his belief in lower taxes and the possibility that those beliefs are realized in this year's Borough budget. This magical paragraph stuck out:

To cut yet further, because 13.8 percent is admittedly arithmetically larger than the popular, magic, abstract 10 percent hurdle, may yet be in the wind. It should not be. Council members should take the Borough Manager at his word, and his work. He’s made his case.

I am only assuming that we need not look any farther than the PASB fiasco that we are in the middle of to say to ourselves "Hey, does the Executive Staff Officer really have the best interest of the taxpayer or are his concerns for the running of the organization?" Do we need more cops? Sure! Should we hire another while their current contract is so bloated (no offense but triple time on holidays constitute a bloated contract)? No, that is foolish. Yet that is exactly what we are pushing for. We have no anticipation in the budget to increase our codes violations and fines even with the anticipation of hiring another part time inspector. Insanity!

This is nuts. A $150,000 home would save $29 on a reduced tax hike from 13.8% to 9.6% is a true statement and quite loaded when take out of context which is what Skip was warning us about. A $150,000 home will pay an estimated $5500 in PASB taxes, $600 to the Borough, Occupational taxes of $400-$500. Roughly $6,600 for the privilege of living in Phoenixville.

Please stop. . . . . . .. . Please!