Penalty for Being Too Prompt

Orange County is poised to pay an unfair penalty for being prematurely anti-fire ant. Sacramento needs to loosen the purse strings and provide funds that the county believed would be forthcoming.

County officials say a state Agriculture Department staffer told them in February the county would be reimbursed for its efforts to exterminate the invading insects. But the department denies that and says that even if a promise had been made, state funds can’t pay for local labor. About 80% of the $90,000 the county has spent so far is earmarked for labor.

The communication was poor, but the state did agree that starting this month it would help counties and cities battle fire ants with two pesticides and would alert the public to the dangers posed by the insects. Children especially can be hurt by ant stings.

Orange County didn’t wait to act and shouldn’t have had to. It was out front with its program because the ants were noticed here first in California. Now the insects that have plagued Florida and Texas have spread to Los Angeles and Riverside counties.

If the Agriculture Department continues to insist it can’t help, the county’s representatives in Sacramento should initiate legislation to provide the money. Fires, floods and earthquakes cause unexpected bills. The fire ants are but the newest unbudgeted problem to dent government coffers.