Eric Hartley:Like residents, county officials tightening belts

Working for John Leopold these days doesn't sound like a lot of fun: Turn off the lights. Cut the air-conditioning and roll down the windows. Drive a smaller car.

But say this for the county executive: He seems to remember whose money he's spending, something you can't always say for government employees.

Appearances matter. And too often, the appearance of public officials is that when they're spending taxpayers' money, the sky's the limit.

It's human nature, in a way. If someone else paid the power bill at your house, how often would you open the windows and rely on fans instead of...