You know, for a community that prides itself on its conservatism, we sure go liberal from time to time.

Having written on a few occasions about the deep fiscal hole the county is stuck in, I’m simply amazed that we’re talking about the prospect of a county health department. Don’t get me wrong: I can understand why some might want a county health department, and if times were flush, maybe it would be a good call.

Times aren’t flush. Lancaster County doesn’t have the money for this right now. And that, really, should be the end of the discussion.

It won’t be, of course. But I’m troubled by the radically optimistic projections:

Shirk told the commissioners her partnership envisions starting a countywide department with 18 employees at an annual cost of $1.5 million.

Federal and state grants, state funds allocated for local health departments, fees charged for services and contributions from local organizations, such as the hospitals, would provide the lion’s share of the department’s budget.

County taxpayers would chip in about $110,000 annually.

I don’t buy that for half a second.

Are those grants going to be guaranteed from year to year? Local hospitals are going to just willy-nilly give money to the new health department, are they? And I suppose personnel costs will never go up.

Look, true fiscal conservatism amounts to saying, This might be nice if we had the money, but recognizing when you don’t have the money. Now would be one of those times.