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Dan McDonald’s biggest re-election claim of financial savings supposedly made for the county is smoke and mirrors.

Claim: McDonald stated in the Bee, Aug. 30, “… approximately $18 million deficit Commissioner Jeff Connolly and I inherited, we needed to make some spending cuts.”

Fact: Every county budget is balanced every year. No red ink and no deficit. McDonald falsely implies that the previous board created a huge debt.

Fact: Dan and his fellow commissioners received a budget in the black with almost $14 million of money passed forward to FY 17.

Fact: Every year, the county clerk estimates revenue and commissioners approve budgets below revenues. McDonald’s claim that he saved the county money is nothing more than matching projected income with projected expenses as law requires. With this year’s big pay raises for officials, the budget was a challenge.

Fact: McDonald initially wanted to charge property owners for forgone taxes not levied by previous boards. Commissioner Jeff Connolly vigorously protested that and is the real hero here.

So, McDonald’s claim that he saved the county money, got it out of debt, or for the first time balanced the budget is, as my mom would say, “hogwash.” The audited statements presented on social media (https://tinyurl.com/yd23bdb6) prove what the county spent.

Dan distorts the facts about budgeting, 911 issues, the taped smelter discussion, and county employee morale. He does not represent the political leadership that Bonner County deserves.

BILL HARP

Sagle