We offer a local quiz this morning loosely based on Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me! - NPR's popular news quiz show.
We start with: What local governing body is balancing next year's budget with the old sleight-of-hand maneuver of simply penciling in higher estimates of revenues - sales taxes, for example - over which no one has control?
Wait, wait. We offer another hint.
What local governing body is paying for millions of dollars in spending next year by tapping a savings account that is supposed to be used for emergencies?
You probably do not need another hint, but we will throw one more your way.
What local governing body has failed to sell the money-losing County Home and also refused to appropriate enough money in next year's budget to help cover the home's operating deficit?
Wait wait ... don't tell me!
It is the Chautauqua County Legislature, of course.
Balancing next year's county budget on paper by writing in higher figures for anticipated revenue is tantamount to gambling.
Susan Marsh, county finance director, said after the budget was adopted by the legislature, ''I don't know what their thoughts were. I'm not sure where the money is coming from...''
Not only are the revenues doubtful, the legislature also is draining the county's fund balance to a point of leaving it at only about half the size that the state Comptroller's Office recommends.
And leaving Chautauqua County taxpayers on the hook for the deficit spending at the County Home simply defies all understanding.
Chautauqua County Executive Gregory Edwards sums all of this up by noting these decisions weaken the county's fiscal position, violate the county's fiscal management policy, and will likely result in the downgrading of the county's bond rating.
But since a veto-proof 19 legislators voted in favor of the 2013 budget as amended, Edwards has decided not to use his line-item veto power.
''Any veto would result in another month-long series of committee meetings, and another Legislature meeting where a vote of 17 legislators would override the veto, therefore, my veto of this action is not a valuable use of time or energy,'' he wrote.
Yes, he is probably right.
Now, keeping in mind that by using one-shot gimmicks and bogus revenue estimates, the legislature has built up an estimated $14 million deficit for the year after next, we move to the fill-in-the blank lightning round of our news quiz.
It is this: Legislative Chairman Jay Gould, R-Ashville, wants legislators to voice their support of (blank) as a source of increased revenue for the county in the future.
Answer: A full casino at the government-owned Batavia Downs.
Really. Gambling.
We're back to that again.