By Brad Segall

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (CBS) — At a time when many governments are tightening their belts, a  Bucks County commissioner wants to know why the county is using so much photocopy paper.

The county commissioners unanimously approved a $167,000 contract that will keep the copy paper flowing in Bucks County through next October.

But commissioner Charley Martin voiced some concerns.  With so many people using e-mails, iPads, and other electronic devices, he wants to know why they budgeted $20,000 more for next year — even though he admits it doesn’t amount to a lot in the grand scheme of things.

“But even so,” Martin tells KYW Newsradio, “it’s the intent that people have to kind of be aware and look for ways to do things more economically and better.  And if you really don’t need to be producing all that paper, why do it?”

He says he’s required to enter a code every time he uses the copy machine, so he doesn’t think it should be too difficult to figure out which departments are using the most paper.