If county government were a TV sitcom, we might be laughing now. Unfortunately, this is real life and the comedy on State Street involves real taxpayer dollars.

On the very first day of the new fiscal year, Adams County Administrator Joe Murray wisely suggested to the board of supervisors that they freeze non-emergency spending until tax receipts improve early next year.

Collectively, supervisors seemed astonished.

“This is ridiculous,” Supervisor Thomas “Boo” Campbell said Monday.

Supervisor Henry Watts echoed Campbell’s shock.

“It’s tighter than I thought it was,” Watts said.

The amazing thing is that none of these guys are rookies on the job. They’ve all been “around the block” as it were and should have a better grasp on the county’s finances than they apparently do.

The county just approved the budget in which we’re operating.

Supervisor Darryl Grennell pointed out one of the real issues at play — the county’s decision to take out a $2.4 million bond earlier this year to pay for road resurfacing work.

Their plan was to refinance the note, effectively spreading out the payments over 10 years instead of five, but the bank wouldn’t renegotiate the terms of the note.

As the old poem goes, “The best laid schemes of mice and men go often askew.”

Thankfully, taxpayers have Joe Murray keeping a watchful eye on the spending. Stick to your guns, Mr. Murray and perhaps we can all make it through the lean times in one piece.