Costs go up. Roads wear out. Areas like Northern Kentucky grow quickly and need road projects to ease congestion. Elected officials say they sign the pledges to protect the public's money and to keep taxpayers from paying more, and on those points there is little doubt they are being honest and truly want a more fiscally responsible government. But some of the motivation is clearly political.
Pols run on the fact that they signed the pledge because it sounds real nice at election time.
Signing a pledge, like ducking a tough vote, is easy. Making a hard decision on increasing taxes isn't. He should have received some. Pendleton County officials and members of the county's water districts is securing the grant, which will pay for water lines to more than 200 homes. Mr. McKee represents Harrison, Pendleton and Robertson counties and five precincts in Campbell County.