County Council is right to inspect all possible areas to cap spending in the upcoming budget, even if it means some dreams delayed – as hard as that may be to accept.

It is hard to hear of the possibility that Helena may have to wait yet again for a gathering space that will encourage youth to come together in a healthy, community-building way. This time it is a basketball court up for scrutiny. What makes it so hard is thinking of all the years that were spent gathering money for that area’s much-needed community center. But sometimes what is right, maybe oftentimes, is hard.

It also pains to think of the residents of Silverstreet, Chappells, Stoney Hill and Bush River missing out on an improvement to a Silverstreet EMS substation. That improvement would enable an ambulance to be stationed there more regularly, decreasing response times and potentially saving lives. But again, it is right to question the expense, and take time to ponder what other spending such a move could usher in. After all, how long before it seems nonsensical to have faster responses in those areas during the daytime hours alone? And to achieve that, more ambulances would have to be pulled from somewhere else, or more added to the schedule.

The amounts seem small in the grand scheme of budgeting for a county of more than 30,000 people. The Helena basketballs courts are estimated at $98,355. Creating a substation in Silverstreet with sleeping facilities and so on for the EMS workers carries an estimated price tag of $141,125.

Both expenses would come out of savings if the county budgets them into the 2010-2011 spending. How many of us are taking nonessential spending out of our savings at home right now? Food for thought.

There are other projects being looked at, but those two are probably the ones that raise the most interest for citizens, and the two that have definitely raised debate and questions in council meetings recently.

County Council is also looking at the other side of the equation, ways to bring in more money like cutting timber or selling property.

Just like unemployment numbers are the last statistical gauge to show improvement in a recession recovery – government belt-tightening lags behind the measures that have been seen by most in the private sector. The nature of tax collections and budgeting means that government entities are facing the realities of home owners walking away from mortgages and taxes, along with lower sales tax and other type revenues, in a very serious way right now. The good news for the private sector is that we have hopeful signs, and business has the ability to turn its fortunes around quickly. Government entities have to wait on that to happen before revenue picks up, and then wait on the next budget cycle. Simply said, you have to wait for the money to be made to collect taxes on it.

As painful as these discussions are, we hope they continue, even when the current budget crunch is a distant memory – because they are important questions, and as teachers say, the only dumb question is the one you didn’t ask.