The Butler County commissioners' announcement that a property tax increase for 2007 might be inevitable is not good news for owners of real estate.

But instead of the commissioners just allowing that notice to stand, they should already be actively searching for ways to make meaningful spending cuts to keep whatever tax increase might be necessary to the absolute minimum possible.

The announcement that the commissioners might vote Tuesday for consolidation of some departments is not enough, especially since the unspecified cuts are not expected to significantly impact the budget.

Amid the prospect of a 2007 tax hike, the commissioners should keep in mind that the kind of annual salary increases they enjoy are not universal for other county residents.

The budget for Fiscal Year 2006 allocates a total of $197,085 for the salaries of the three commissioners. That compares with $189,502 for Fiscal Year 2005, $182,213 for Fiscal Year 2004 and $175,205 for Fiscal Year 2003.

That means the commissioners will be sharing $21,880 more this year than what the commissioners in 2003 received.

At a meeting on Dec. 7, Scott Lowe, commissioners chairman, and the other two commissioners, Glenn Anderson and James Kennedy, were right in criticizing the state's penchant for issuing unfunded mandates. And, it was correct that they pointed to the issue of rising costs.

However, with such mandates and cost increases comes the obligation to find ways to soften their negative impact on the taxpayers. This board of commissioners, in recent years, has not been effective in doing that, as indicated by a number of tax increases, including a 3-mill hike that was approved for 2005, despite the continuing growth that this county enjoys.

According to the commissioners, each mill raises $1.1 million.

While the total 2006 budget is less than the 2005 budget — $192.5 million as compared with $195.7 million — the general fund budget has increased to $47.4 million this year from $45.9 million last year. The general fund budget must be the target of future cost-cutting measures.

The uncertainties surrounding the cost of the new-prison project complicate the county's future financial picture. There have been allegations that the initial prison-cost calculations predicted a significantly lower cost than what actually will be incurred.

In addition to the higher-tax prospects for 2007, that is another possibility about which county taxpayers shouldn't be happy.

The year 2006 must be a year of frugal financial decision making, instead of just unpleasant predictions.

The commissioners' New Year's resolutions should include that kind of determined agenda.