Southern Maine is dealing with budget issues as with many towns and counties around the country. York Country Sheriff Dept. is mad as hell (and making it well known) that they had to lay off a few employees. I believe the number is something like 6 people. Watching the news, you'd think the world is coming to an end because these people were laid off, as if they have some contract for life. Hey, there are no guarantees for sheriffs or anybody else. Where they got the idea they could never get laid off, I'll never know. The outrage.....with their hands on their guns in the photos. Strange stuff.

 

I hate to see anyone lose their jobs, but the private sector is suffering badly. The public sector's financial demands on the private sector can't keep growing until we have a major turnaround. Here in Billerica, MA we have a county jail where our Sheriff (who was voted in) finds new creative ways to burn the cash coming in. He bought a "Mobile Command Vehicle" that cost us $500,000. He said it's to help SWAT. SWAT isn't part of the Sheriff's office. He then bought a large rigid hull inflatable boat with twin Honda 250s on it. Don't know the exact cost but the twins alone probably cost more than my truck. Funny thing is we don't have large lakes, rivers where the boat can fit under the bridges, or ocean in our county. He also bought a smaller one that will work okay in the above waterways. He bought an armored car (like the banks use) for who knows what reason. They now have several Harleys (can't shuttle prisoners between jail and the courts on those). He does have an anti-graffitti vehicle which I think is a better way to spend money than all the above. The waste just keeps on coming. Oh, and the garage they built down the street from me probaly cost around $750,000. When will it end??? I have to laugh at the Sheriff's name. Dipayola. Say it fast and it makes you wonder if he is taking bribes.

 

Great sense of humor this morning Moose!

 

I don't understand how they have so much control over the finances. There's no holds barred with these guys in the name of local security. Even when we have a turnaround, they have enough funding as it is. That inflatable with the twin 250s sounds like fun though.

 

I just had to add my two cents in after I read the "local security" in your post. Being a law enforcement officer is more than just local security. When someone picks up the phone and calls 9-1-1, they do not expect to get a security guard to answer the call. As far as all the items that were purchased, inquire why they needed it? I could think of a few goods reasons why. But it would be only speculation. As an elected official, the people have the power to boot him out of office if they feel he was not doing his job.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with you. I don't want a rent-a-cop coming to my home if I have to repel burglars, rapists, etc. I hope that he does get booted out when the time comes. It's not spending I'm against. It's wasteful spending. The sheriff's department here is in charge of county jails, transportation of prisoners from jail to court and back, work crews cleaning highways of trash, and some search and rescue. You'll notice I liked the idea of the anti-graffitti truck and I have no issues with the smaller 20' or so boat being used. But, things like the mobile command center and the big boat that doesn't fit any of our county's rivers, or lakes makes no sense to me. Also, an armored car and Harleys??? But, it's just one taxpayer's opinion.

 

After 9-11, the Feds threw money at just about every public safety entity-police, fire, EMS. It is very possible that your sheriff's office received grant money for all, or part of, the "toys". As a border state, your sheriff may have received a greater share of those funds. Police in border states are not only "the thin blue line" to the local criminal element, they are also the first line of defense to terrorists attempting to enter the country. As such, mobile command posts, boats, etc, may have been provided to them for use in case of a national--not just local--emergency.
As I always say--"follow the money". Did your local taxes pay for the "toys", or were they subsidized by the taxes of the whole country?

 

My county is not on the ocean, so we aren't a border state like NH, ME, or VT. Honestly, KQ, I couldn't answer your question. I've tried to find out and not been able to. I just don't know where to find the info. I also tried writing to the local paper but they did not want to do it or just dumped. I got no answer either way. But, whether it was federal, county, or local we are still, as taxpayers, paying for it. It's kind of like when they vote on the federal level and the politicians throw all the pork they can get into the budget. I don't want to pay for a town's pool in Arizona, and I don't think they should pay for my town's snow removal equipment. This kind of spending is out of control and costing you and me dearly. I'm a firm believer in localized government, as much as is possible.

 

Rescue....Just to be clear, Moose did not make the "local security" comment, that was me.

My original point was that the Sheriff is somehow under the impression that he and his troops are immune to layoffs. They are not. Their revenue comes from us.