Recently there's been a great deal of discussion regarding the financial situations of the various elective bodies in Ellenville and Wawarsing that are tasked with levying taxes — but it's unclear what knowledge can be gleaned from it all.

In Ellenville itself, the village has begun the process to go to public referendum in order to tap the interest accrued from the $4.5 million "mountain money" fund. This is an effort to pay down the village's budget deficit. While the budget gap is old news, due to some hard work the village was able to cut the deficit down to about $540,000, a victory for fiscal responsibility. In the end, however, a gap of about $1 million will remain after the sewer fund deficit is factored in. The last time the subject of accessing the fund was broached, a number of vocal residents criticized the plan, which resulted in the village staying its hand.

The Town of Wawarsing is a different story. There, the town board and town comptroller were able to craft a budget that will actually lower taxes next year, a feat not matched by many municipalities in cash-strapped New York State. The town will save for a rainy day by putting some of this money into its reserve accounts, and the rest will be returned to taxpayers.

The Ellenville Central School District, the third government body in this triumvirate, as has been reported, is also blessed with a surplus of money. But these funds have been cited by the New York State Comptroller's office as being in excess of the amount the district is legally allowed to keep in its coffers. Now, in working to come up with a corrective action plan that will bring the district into compliance with the comptroller's recommendations, the district may be forced to give back to overburdened residents at least some of these funds. And the fact remains that, despite its best efforts, the school district has been overtaxing residents.

So what gives? We have three different taxing entities within the same general area, yet the outcome of each body's fiscal process couldn't be more different. Some appear to be charging residents too much, while others appear to be levying too little. The people at the center of this financial schizophrenia — the taxpayers — are left dazed, wondering what will happen each year as newly-elected people take office. How well will they perform their jobs, especially when we consider that our taxes are among the highest in the country?

And the situation can't be easily explained away by looking at the people in charge: members of the Wawarsing Town Board were once members of the Ellenville Village Board. And school board members come from all corners of the town and village. These individuals are our neighbors, and no doubt they are well-intentioned when it comes to the due diligence they as elected officials are required to exercise.

But, despite their best efforts, mistakes continue to be made — some minor, some a bit bigger — and the taxpayer is left with an ever-increasing tax burden. Whatever the reason for these discrepancies, the result is disorienting for the residents affected.

It's time for our local elected officials to redouble their efforts when it comes to due diligence. When new elected officials raise their right hand during the swearing in a few weeks from now, each should also take some time for serious personal reflection. Each of these individuals needs to remember that extreme care needs to be exercised, and that what they do when they're on the dais has a profound effect on the financial wellbeing of the folks next door.