Lake County Council members are moving into new, spacious offices this week. Their timing is poor.

The council took over the space once used by the Lake County Health Department at the Lake County Government Center in Crown Point. The new offices give the council members such perks as corner offices and views.

The nicer offices could rankle the rank and file, and indeed some county government employees are privately grumbling about the council members getting nicer offices even as the county forces $15 million in cuts on the county -- eliminating more than 100 jobs in the process. And more cuts are in the offing.

A county budget committee is working on proposals for additional spending cuts in 2010. Some of the ideas that were spared the ax last year might see the blade this year.

Lake County Council President Larry Blanchard, R-Crown Point, defended the council's move to new offices, saying the council spent only $60,000 on refurbishing the space.

That money is part of $17.2 million renovations being done by Framingham, Mass.-based Ameresco. The company is repairing roofs, windows and inadequate electrical systems in the aging building.

True, $60,000 isn't much in a budget as large as Lake County's, but that money could have been spent on something besides making the council members more comfortable.

The council members need to show county employees that the necessary spending cuts will affect everyone -- even the council members.