Stop traveling

Triangle-area county property tax increase announcements are already here. Additional layoffs, still-declining home values and perpetually rising prices for food and energy continue to affect residents on a daily basis. While most of us attempt to find additional ways to cut costs, the unbelievable story of Craig Wittig's massive slurping at the Wake County trough splashes all over The N&O.

Who is minding the store down at county headquarters? How can a $61,000 employee manage to run up a $161,000 travel and entertainment tab without alarm bells and sirens going off all over downtown Raleigh? There is absolutely no excuse for Wittig's behavior nor the fact that Wake County managers apparently never bothered to question his motivation or justification for entertaining himself, his family and his employees at public expense all over the United States.

Enough is enough. In these lean and harried times, all county trips and travel should be immediately canceled for the remainder of the year. Seeking advice from a colleague in Denver or Las Vegas or Jackson Hole? Then do the responsible thing and pick up the phone or, better yet, e-mail.

Jon Gibson, Raleigh