On Tuesday, the Oh-So Broke Mecklenburg County Commission voted to raise your property taxes again. As usual, the Charlotte Observer editorial board and the five Democrats who voted for the budget claimed they had no choice. The tax increase, they explained, was desperately needed to pay for "growth" and spiraling school expenses. 
   That makes the $50,000 the commission gave to a spandex-clad man who calls himself AeroboCop a bit difficult to explain. AeroboCop will craft aerobics programs to slim down the county's children.
   AeroboCop was originally slated to get $160,500 from the county, but Mecklenburg County Commissioner Dan Bishop forced a vote on it in an effort to embarrass his colleagues. Mecklenburg County Commissioner Parks Helms quickly swooped in to save AeroboCop, proposing he get a mere $50,000.
   AeroboCop was just one example of the millions of dollars worth of pork county commissioners stuffed their bloated budget with. The money could have been used for the school funding Democrat commissioners claim they need so desperately, but it wasn't. It also could have gone to pay for new prosecutors, which this county's overburdened criminal justice system really needs. Instead commissioners found other uses for it. Here are a few examples:

   -$100,000 for the public television station WTVI to make a documentary about the signing of the Mecklenburg County Declaration of Independence   
   -$62,500 for the NEXTEL NASCAR Allstar Event
   -$43,000 to the Catawba Valley Scottish Society to hold its annual festival

Tune in tonight to the Citizen Servatius show at 9PM on NewsTalk 1110 WBT to find out what else the county commission did with your money.