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Exactly what went so badly wrong in Bridgeport village government remains unclear. What is plain is that for a time, municipal officials were spending more than they were bringing in -- but were not aware of that.
Effective today, Bridgeport residents will begin paying a 1% income tax aimed at getting the village back into balanced-books status.
During a public meeting Monday, Mayor David Smith said that after reviewing the village's debts and ongoing operating expenses, the decision was made to implement the income tax and to increase various permit fees and fines for traffic infractions. "You either gut your police department and knock it down to almost nothing or you come up with a way to generate $350,000 a year," the mayor explained.
Especially now, during a severe drug abuse crisis, eliminating or hamstringing the police department is not an attractive option.
It is no surprise that the income tax is very unpopular. For one thing, it is quite a burden; even juveniles who earn money are required to pay it, though pension benefits and pay from the armed services are exempted. For another thing, those required to pay must comply with a complex set of rules. The ordinance establishing the tax is 61 pages long.
Bridgeport's position is so shaky that state officials have declared a state of fiscal emergency for the village. Even with the new tax, it is estimated that will not end until 2023.
For obvious reasons -- the potential for legal action -- village officials may be reluctant to get into the nuts and bolts of what went wrong. But the sooner they can provide specifics, in part so Bridgeport taxpayers can have some assurance there will not be a repeat in a few years, the better.
In addition, residents should be presented with a comprehensive list of cost-cutting steps being taken by village government.
Bridgeport taxpayers will be paying substantial amounts out of their own pockets to resolve the problem. They at least have earned the right to know more about what caused it and specifics about what village officials are doing to hold the tax burden down.