Math doesn't care about good intentions

Math doesn’t care about politics, good intentions, or how badly we want something to work. It doesn’t adjust itself to feelings or make exceptions when the numbers stop adding up.

Over the years, I’ve used this column to talk a lot about the growing financial challenges facing counties across Washington, including here in Lincoln County.

Those challenges haven’t gone away—they’ve only gotten worse.

The Washington State Association of Counties’ recent Fiscal Health Survey confirmed what many of us already knew: counties are under increasing pressure from rising costs, state mandates, and limite...