OV police must share in budget cuts
Oro Valley claims to have a low rate of crime. My experience has been that the crime is ignored by the police. At a recent Town Council meeting, police individuals made impassioned speeches about retaining their jobs as if they were the only people in town that mattered. The chief of police is the one who made the recommendation to cut six positions . . . not the Town Council.
I noticed that these caring police personnel left the meeting after their presentation showing no inclination or interest in other business matters being considered by the Town Council. Rather self-focused, I felt.
Everybody needs to tighten his/her belt in this economic downturn. The citizens cannot be assigned more fees and taxed out of their homes to support police who have made no offer to reduce any costs for their own department. Let's be fair about these problems and share in their solution.
Brenda Ryan
Retired teacher and administrator,
Oro Valley
12 comments:
In one of the council meetings, didn't the council, I believe councilman Garner specifically, ask the Chief if he really did suggest the 6 lay off positions? I believe the chief's reply was that he was told by town mgr andrews that he was to eliminate positions?
Sounds like the Chief was not the one who suggested the layoffs but was forced into that position by Mr Andrews.
The Tucson city counsil reallized they had a problem and just recently took a great step to fix it. When will our town council?
"LBC09"---You are mistaken!
The fact is, Mr. Andrews requested all department heads make recommendations on helping to balance the town budget.
The record is unequivocal. Chief Sharp determined that his lowest priority was the 6 member Community Action Team.
If you have trouble believing me, you have a few other options. Listen to the minutes of the recent council meetings on this subject, or, if you wish, call Town Hall, and get verification.
Just because the cop's union is finding fault with Mr. Andrews and some Council Members doesn't mean you have to do the same.
Are ya sure about Tucson, lbc09? Tucson most certainly cannot be held up as a model city over the years, with or without the now disposed of former Town Manager. So, I don't think judgment can be passed yet. As to Oro Valley, Mr. Andrews wasn't the Manager during the rather long period of OV operating by the seat of it's pants and doing so in a rather constituent dismissive way. Time will tell in BOTH cases, lbc09, so give it it's just due.
Languageborder09,
I viewed some of that exchange & got the same impression that you did. I recall asking about it on this blog but don't recall anybody answering.
I am not finding fault with either Andrews or Sharpe and not sure that Language09 is either.
Of course this is just my opinion and unless Art tells me I can't blog here,I am still free to do so :))
The Police Chief was instructed to cut costs by the Town Manager. Council Member Kunisch asked the Police Chief at the meeting about the decision to cut 6 sworn officers, and the Police Chief said it was his decision and that a program area (CAT Squad) was to be cut. Even if the Police Chief was instructed to cut bodies by the Town Manager. The Police Chief ultimately made the selection of sworn officers (CAT Squad) over command staff, support personnel, and other non-sworn positions. Please verify by going to the Town web site and listening to the March 4, 2009 Regular Town Council Meeting.
MS Coyote--- Nobody is being "barred" from the blog. Diverse opinions are welcome, although most recently, concerning the "police issue," I'm sorry to say, some bloggers got off the subject and saw fit to "go after each other."
I'm used to having unkind words said to me and about me, but I would hope we can spend more time debating the critical issues rather than each other.
Aside to Bill Garner---Thanks for taking the time to offer your insight, confirming what I already said.
Hopefully, you'll see fit to come back---soon & often.
Thanks Bill and Art.
Bill, I wish you the best of luck in making these hard decisions.
Every city and town is in this country going through the painstaking process of addressing methods to handle budget shortfalls.
I'm not sure how in OV it got to the point where the police feel as though they should be in charge of the budget, and how they have the right to dictate terms to OUR town.
I just talked to several citizens who can't believe the selfish behavior of OVPD's leaders. OVPD at one time a source of pride for this town has now become a major embarrassment.
Our council members who will not bend or break under the intense pressure from OVPD's Union need to know the voters "have their back", and the council members who will betray their citizens will be run out on a rail.
A simple question: If, as the OVPD (or it's union) claims that said department's force numbers are below the national average, why then is their budget more than 22% over (the AZ average)? How is that additional 'over the average difference' being spent and why?
As I have stated in the many OVPD threads which have surfaced in the last few weeks, the police should take their fair share of any cuts.
I do not understand what is difficult about this concept.
I am sorry that the "fair share" party has been drowned out by the speeders, the counter-Mormans, the police-haters, Don Cox and the Developers (hey, a great name for a band!), stylistic critics (as if any blog is an adventure in great language), the defamed, the hurt and the wise ass.
Nombe
"Fear The Turtle"---- I only have one word concerning your last comment. From my standpoint, and I believe thousands of other OV citizens: "AMEN!"
Thanks for your astuteness.
Art
Nombe, 'simplicity is beauty' and you nailed it (and yes, a bit of me in the process - LOL).
Post a Comment