April 23, 2007 — It is not surprising to learn that the financial bunk we were fed by the previous administration was just that. The Turnbull years could be characterized by the children's story of The Emperor's New Clothes.
Painting a rosy fiscal picture for the public's view obviously doesn't make it so.
We are impressed by Gov. deJongh's candor and look forward to more of it as the budget process approaches.
We must all expect that we will suffer some in the short term in exchange for long-term, tangible gains. It is time to face reality and minimize the grousing about it. We can't expect to be magically pulled from the monetary quagmire of our own making without changing the way we have done things in the past. Each individual needs to consider what is best for the community and be willing to give just a little toward that end.
What deJongh said to the League of Women Voters on Saturday bears repeating: "In my opinion, it is time for this game to stop. We must bring all of the parties to our financial situation to the table and address the issue that we face. Because if we don't, our plans to improve public safety, to address education, to fund access to health care and to address our environment will be but another charade …. This is a moment of challenge to our territory, where individual interests and special interests must give way to public interest and community interest."
We do not believe this is empty rhetoric. We believe deJongh has firm plans that could usher us into a new era of solvency, fiscal responsibility and — more importantly — financial self-respect. And we also believe those plans will demand that we, as citizens, do our part.
It will be interesting to see who is up for the challenge.

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