Gee, a tax increase for Middletown. What a surprise.

I hope that Middletown residents now realize what their reward is for voting Tom Gallagher, Drew Kreiling and Pat Mallon into office last year. It is no secret that the cops wanted them in and now we know why. According to the Courier Times, "Middletown faces a nearly $2 million deficit in 2011," finance manager Dennis Pemko said. The police department is forecast to cost 12 percent more next year. The annual minimum contribution to the police pension fund could rise to $1.5 million in 2011 from $764,000 in 2010."

At a recent meeting, when asked why this contribution was so high, Pemko said because of the number of officers who have retired on disability pensions. Gallgher, Kreiling and Mallon rushed to approve every one in their first few months in office.

For the last few months, these three along with the cop-in-residence on the Board, George Leonhauser, have been rewarding all their friends with, in some cases, unnecessary contracts, already costing the taxpayers of Middletown thousands of dollars. And now the bill comes in from the police. The cost for the owner of an "average assessed home" next year could be shelling out a whopping $116 more for their tax bill.

Maybe it is time to start laying off some of the cops. As often as one can see them hiding out behind the Department of Public Works building, it should be obvious that a reduction in force is possible without jeopardizing public safety -- that was just a ruse by Gallagher, Kreiling and Mallon to scare voters. Now you can see what the tab is going to be.

Click here to read the full story. If it makes you angry, show up at the next meeting on Monday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m. and let them know about it.