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Highlands Today

Lost Confidence

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John McCoy

Published: October 16, 2008

First, I will give the current administration the benefit of the doubt. I can overlook the lost evidence and the cases that will subsequently be dropped. A few lucky criminals will get away. I can look past the deceit of the two different reports on the evidence audit. I will also look past the verbal abuse while in uniform of a county commissioner on a darkened parking lot. I can also overlook her other well documented explosive temper episodes, which have been reported widely.

But the issues that affect me are the ones that hit my pocket. That's where I draw the line.

A 50-percent increase in the budget in one term is unacceptable. Giving $3,000 bonuses to all employees on my dime is again, unacceptable. Asking for $11-million plus more of my tax dollars to build a new Taj Mahal office complex to be followed by a $64-million jail addition is unacceptable during these difficult economic times.

Citizens are hurting and government must learn to cut back and do with less. Even if the new building were to be built, chances are the jobs will not stay local as only one local company comes close to fulfilling the requirements. This "spend happy" sheriff needs to go.

I have heard Ron Grimming speak and he has ideas that can save us from this mess the sheriff created.

He wants to stop the spending spree by eliminating unnecessary administrative positions and to put more deputies on patrol; he wants to stop the construction of the $11-million new office complex and consider less expensive options. He wants to lower inmate health care costs that total more than $1 million of expense to taxpayers, and he wants to create a Sheriff Joe-style work camp-barracks facility in place of a $64-million jail addition.

In these difficult financial times we need a sheriff who will protect taxpayers' interests and return common sense to government spending. My vote goes to Ron Grimming for sheriff.

John McCoy
Sebring

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