What to do, what to do?

The City of Washington could find itself in a Catch-22 situation when it comes to funding Brown Library, city recreational programs, the Grace Harwell Martin Senior Center and the Hildred T. Moore Aquatic & Fitness Center. Those four entities, according to city documents, are used by more Beaufort County residents who are not city residents than city residents. To that end, the city asked Beaufort County for $.13 million to help operate those facilities and the programs they provide. The county responded by allocating a combined $47,800 for Brown Library, city recreational offerings and the senior center. That comes to 3.6 percent of the city’s request.

The county is under no legal requirement to fund those city programs and facilities. However, perhaps some city residents — and leaders — are thinking that if the county won’t help pay the costs associated with city programs and facilities used by county residents who don’t live in the city and don’t pay city taxes, then maybe those programs and facilities should be off limits to county residents who don’t live in the city. That’s a somewhat reasonable attitude for city taxpayers to adopt.

But should the city charge higher fees for non-city residents to use city facilities and programs to offset the costs of those items, it could see a decline in usage because non-city residents might not be able to pay the increased fees. The city is trying to bring in more revenue to help pay the costs of providing programs and facilities that benefit many people.

The city likely cannot afford — fiscally or philosophically — to implement policies that would reduce revenue and participation.

Should city taxpayers — also county taxpayers — be upset that the county is contributing a mere pittance to the city to help run these facilities and programs? Such a stance would be understandable.

If the city places some restrictions on the use of city programs and services by non-city residents or charges higher fees for non-city residents to use those entities, that would be understandable, too.

Look for the city to be a good neighbor and continue providing programs and facilities for non-city residents to use. It’s just the right thing to do.