Thursday, November 10, 2005

The Numbers Game Continues

I'm getting tired of myself as I'm sure a lot of you are but I have to have one last say on this jail issue. When a county commissioner states that..." the county will have to look at the mandated needs versus the "feel good" services provided taxpayers, and set priorities" I wonder if it's a veiled threat ala California's Prop 13. I really do want to know what the commissioners' determine "feel good" services to be before anything is cut.

If it's the Sheriff's and Prosecutor's offices refusing to utilize the County Human Resources Department in order to have their own and throw those redundant expenditures back into the budget I'm all for it. Or programs designed to keep minor offenders out from behind bars. Anything else I want to see spelled out.

If the jail is nearing law suit level overcrowding why hasn't the transport of prisoners already been factored into the budget? This didn't happen overnight. Certainly they weren't depending on the $5 million in a lump sum to cover such expenses. Who does the budgeting anyway; even better who approves them?

And no fall back plan? Gee whiz! I'm not a politician nor do I have any desire to be one but I would like to see a glimmer of competence in those who are. Has the Bush hubris become the hallmark of Republicans or as I have suggested before has the Peter Principal taken a firm foothold.

It has been addressed before and now that the current election cycle is past perhaps its time to readdress professional management for our county.

1 comment:

Word Tosser said...

I was wondering the same thing as I read the paper today. Also the cost to transport the prisoner and the cost of the other jail. That has to be pretty expensive.
What if they do that for 10 years, wouldn't the cost pretty much pay for the addition to the present jail?