It appears that spending an estimated $3.8 million to renovate unused space in the county’s Government Center will ultimately save taxpayers money. That will be even more true if the plan to move Health and Human Services staff out of offices at the mall can be accomplished for less than the estimated cost. Finding a way to do that should be a top priority for the county board and its staff.

Mower County has invested heavily in new government space. When the proposed Government Center remodel is added to costs for the Jail and Justice Center that opened last year, the county will have spent $31.8 million on new and remodeled buildings. That’s the equivalent of $811 per Mower County resident – more than many have been able to spend on improving their own dwellings during that time. In pointing that out, we do not seek to re-open an old debate about whether governments need to spend tax dollars on buildings, because clearly they do. Rather, we seek to illustrate the point that while Mower County may need to spend millions more remodeling the Government Center, the county’s leaders ought to count every dime and begrudge every dollar, ensuring that the taxpayers get maximum value for their money.

As the commissioners heard at last week’s truth in taxation hearing, residents understand that taxes are inevitable. But during difficult financial times, they expect their elected representatives to keep a close eye on government finances.