The expenditure of public tax dollars will be the focus of discussions throughout the state over the next several months as the state and local government budgets are finalized for the upcoming fiscal year.

This is crunch time for the individual taxpayer and a process that every citizen should be aware of but, unfortunately, relatively few will pay any attention.

We would include the federal government here if it ever decided to pass a budget, but continuing funding resolutions combined with the infamous sequestration is the best they can do in the nation’s capital.