Ah, budget time—and the smell of fear is in the air. Fear that overrides will pass, taxes will increase, and residents will need to consider moving to a less expensive, though less loved, town; fear that overrides won’t pass and budget cuts will cost jobs, or class sizes will increase so much that the children won’t get the attention they need to excel, or school fees will be so high that the children won’t be able to play sports or ride the bus; fear that people won’t listen to well researched and carefully thought out and well presented information and won’t support the requested position; fear that people will listen to information that isn’t accurate and will vote accordingly.

It’s good to remember that the same fears have surfaced around this time of year for decades. Things are never as good or bad as projected. Somehow, the children end up well educated, residents don’t drown in trash or drop into deep potholes in the roads, necessary buildings get built, and townspeople summon the wit and wisdom to solve the next problems that come up.