The Butler County commissioners have raised the real estate tax to help finance the county’s 2013 budget. Meanwhile, they’ve decided to spend up to $5,000 for an outside law firm to investigate a sexual discrimination complaint filed internally against Commissioner Jim Eckstein.

Why has the new county solicitor divorced himself from the Eckstein matter? Is the outside law firm going to be paid out of the solicitor’s $90,000 salary?

Apparenty not.

My opinion is that if the new solicitor can’t handle the tasks of a solicitor, he should resign.

The commissioners are wasting money regarding lawsuits at a time when county retirees haven’t had a cost-of-living increase since 2008, purportedly because of a shortage of money.

President Judge Thomas Doerr should do away with the security guard on the commissioners’ floor in the Government Center — as well as the security cameras.

If the commissioners want to fight, let them. Doerr ought to encourage the commissioners to either do their job or resign.

Thanks to the commissioners, the county has become a laughingstock.

The commissioners office needs younger people in office. And, with all the bickering going on, it’s clear that the commissioners are not accomplishing as much as possible.