Senior services funding

EDITOR:

It may have taken a recession, but those of you who have been against Douglas County funding senior services have almost achieved their goal.

The Douglas County budget approved by the county commissioners for the next fiscal year is approximately $160 million.

The expenditures allocated to senior services and county transportation in this budget are $1,276,644, but most of these senior services funds are provided by federal and state grants, charitable contributions, and fees paid by the clientele. Only $330,000 is allocated from the county's General Fund. This means that the fraction of the county's funds apportioned to senior services and county transportation is less than 0.2 percent.

I challenge anyone to find another county in the whole United States that has per capita funding for senior services which is less than Douglas County's. We all know that county funds are really tight, but cutting senor services and county transportation to this level is way out of line. The irony of this situation is that our county's economy is highly dependent upon its resident retirees and seniors, and economic recovery will be impossible without their support.

Paul Lockwood

Minden