Ramapo New York budget could raise property taxes nearly 7 percent. Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence said

He said the town offset its annual $850,000 debt payments with revenue generated by the open-space purchases, which were made using a 30-year, $15 million bond. Five of the town's purchases, including the Ramapo Equestrian Center, Camp Scuffy and Rustic Brook Swim and Tennis Club, brought in about $986,000; and six town-run camps generated $511,375 in revenue.

If a legitimate business will not provide a service, why should a town get into the business? Should a town get into and supply Laundromats, car washes, gas stations, horse racing or any other kind of business to make it inhabitants happy? Should a town become a big business competing against possible future businesses? Do we need Big Brother meddling into whims of a few that drives taxes up?

The government is not prepared to run a business. They can not manage their own. Government is a cost over run project that stinks of mismanagement. Government workers need only to work 20 years and they can retire at 75% pay. They average citizen taxpayer has to work 45 years to get a pension with benefits often vanishing due to market forces.

Jobs are insular, feather bedding occurs, hourly jobs over bid on (instead of hiring someone for a few weeks out of a carpenter union, they will hire a full time person, give him tools, car, health insurance, pension benefits … or bid out a job to the high priced "few"), salaries out of line against the private sector … . In short they don’t operate as a business. They’re cozy and have no risk.

The main function of government should be to protect its taxpayers from crimes and pirates, enforce private property rights, enforce laws and reduce taxes. The financial principle of "economies of scale" prove that managed efficiency reduces expenses.

Case in point, Ramapo’s town supervisor's salary increased to $117,416 from $112,900 and Town Board members' salaries to $28,901 from $27,789. Town justices' salaries proposed increase to $62,361 from $59,962. The highway superintendent's salary proposed increase to $103,276 from $99,081.

Not to mention, health insurance up $7.5 million from $6.5 million in 2005, and pensions up $1.35 million last year to $1.75 million. Police costs are up about $1.7 million — to $25.75 million from $24 million.

And these people want to get full-time into the recreation business to boot? I suppose they’ll want to build casinos next.