"Can't afford it."

That language has been commonplace in local households and private companies for years, but now it's starting to crop up more frequently in government circles.

Local government especially. The village of Caledonia Parks and Recreation Commission last week whacked its parks budget from $68,000 down to $3,000 and told residents it will be scaling back lawn mowing at several parks, closing restrooms and closing portable toilets after Aug. 1 unless they find more money.

In a similar vein, area residents began grousing about the unkempt look of medians along state and U.S. highways in the Racine area after it became clear some were getting a mite overgrown. The litany of complaints reached the desk of Racine County Executive William McReynolds who said the county was "no happier about tall grass and weeds than the people who live in our communities."

McReynolds said the state of Wisconsin contracts with Racine County to maintain the medians on those highways and the state had strictly limited the cuts it will pay for to a single cut along the shoulder of the road during the entire season.

County highways - which are the responsibility of the county - will be mowed more frequently than that, he said.

McReynolds, of course, wasn't up to offering to cut the state roads and medians and putting the costs on the backs of county taxpayers.

McReynolds' account squares with that of state officials, who told us in a story last month that the one-mowing policy was down from the two to three mows in past years. The head of the state Bureau of Highway Operations, David Veith, said it wasn't really a budget-driven cutback.

"Our direction was to make sure our performance on critical safety needs is better," he said. Things like making shoulder dropoff heights acceptable; repairing damaged guardrails; filling potholes and keeping highway workers safe in construction zones.

What to do? What to do?

Well, at least one public-spirited, dandelion-hating citizen living along Highway 38 has taken matters into his own hands. Retired Case High School biology teacher John Henkel took his power mower and felled the 10-inch high bumper crop of dandelions and grass in the median.

"When people who have the responsibility don't take the responsibility, then I'm going to do it," he said.

"Whether it's legal or illegal, I'm going to cut it."

It seems hard to believe that cash-strapped governments would try to dissuade such a civic-minded willingness to pitch in during the current budget pinches. It's sort of an extension of the clean-up projects like those sponsored on "Make a Difference Day."

In fact, the City of Racine officially encourages residents, business groups and service clubs to volunteer for weed-whacking duty. About a year ago the city instituted an "Adopt-A-Median" program to not only mow medians and traffic islands on a regular basis to keep grass shorter than 5 inches tall, but also to prune shrubs, mulch, water plants and remove debris.

Donnie Snow, director of the Parks Recreation and Cultural Services Department, said the program was modeled after one in Indianapolis. Unfortunately, so far the city has had no takers.

Racine has 32 "orphan" medians around the city just waiting for your loving attention. Interested adopters can check the city's Web site at

http://www.cityofracine.org/depts/parks_recreation/parks.aspx

Or call (262) 636-9131 for the list of medians in need of adoption. The city will even salute adopters with a sign bearing their name or the name of their group.

Get your motor running; head out on the highway. A donated can of gas and a little sweat equity will keep the community looking more presentable and help local governments keep a lid on taxes.