Almost like a rite of spring, the Grant County Budget Committee is once again weighing whether to give money from road funds to the cities and school districts. Never an easy decision, this years discussion has added urgency and a sense of finality.

On Monday, the budget panel heard from the school districts and the cities, making a sober case for generosity in a time of need. The school districts are asking for a total of $700,000, and the cities are asking for $500,000.

The money would come from the $3.4 million in county payments allotted to Grant County in January. It is the countys share of the final installment of the federal Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act program, intended to make up for lost timber revenue.

The budget committee will focus on the Road Department budget this Thursday, but already has a recommendation from the former roadmaster, Mark Hensley, to tuck the money into the road reserve. That action would be in keeping with the countys stated goal of shepherding its road savings so they will be adequate to finance future operating costs.

We need to ascertain whether any of those monies are surplus to our needs, noted County Commissioner Boyd Britton.

School officials this week lauded the countys generosity in the past, but also cited compelling, continuing needs. Amid uncertainties about state school support, they are coping with lagging investment in technology and curriculum, deferred building maintenance, and hefty increases in retirement and insurance costs.

City officials, meanwhile, say the state gas tax revenues are long past inadequate to keep up with basic maintenance on crumbling streets.

Our patches need patches, said Carole Garrison of Prairie City.

County aid wouldnt solve all the problems, but it could help as a bridge to other solutions and, hopefully, better economic times. County officials already are pondering an idea to join forces with the cities to prioritize street projects and offer assistance on a more regular basis. The school districts challenges are more complex, with so many revenue concerns beyond local control.

The good news for these jurisdictions is that some county budgeters seem receptive to offering help this year perhaps not at the amounts requested, but at some level.

Our kids are our future, noted County Commissioner Chris Labhart. Im disappointed that we cant support our schools better. Id consider giving something to our schools.

The bad news is that a county budget patch wont be likely in future years. Barring a legislative miracle, the federal payments are gone for good, and the county can be expected to guard its road reserves more strictly. This year, however, some sharing seems warranted. The best county roads in the region will be little consolation if they lead to struggling schools and disintegrating city streets. SC