RSSLosing criminal justice monies would, indeed, be 'devastating'
Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board
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This endorsement editorial appears in the Oct. 22, 2009, Yakima Herald-Republic.
When proponents of Yakima County's criminal justice sales tax use words like "devastating" and "catastrophic" to describe what would happen if voters turn down its renewal on Nov. 3, a question is likely to follow: Could it really be that bad?
In fact, it could. And law enforcement officials have the numbers to prove their case: 17 sheriff's deputies, 11 attorneys in the prosecutor's office, six police officers in the city of Yakima, three officers in Toppenish, an officer in Zillah and two patrol vehicles in the small town of Mabton. The list goes on.
Some $7.8 million has been divvied up this year among the county and cities from funds generated by the three-tenths of a cent sales tax. This money, in turn, has paid for 96 positions in law and justice departments. Those positions could be in jeopardy if voters say no to renewing the sales tax for another six years.
In 2004, most law enforcement officials conceded the justice system in Yakima County, and in many cities, was on the verge of collapse. A backlog of criminal cases had soared to an unmanageable 1,500. Most of the beds in the juvenile justice center were empty because the county didn't have the money to lock up wayward youth for crimes they had committed.
That's when proponents, led by Sheriff Ken Irwin and then-Prosecuting Attorney Ron Zirkle, proposed the sales tax to fight crime and handle increased criminal cases. Crucial to the measure for many was its sunset clause: It had to be renewed after six years.
Also critical to the ballot-box success of the measure was a promise by backers that all of the funds generated by the tax -- which for residents amounts to 30 cents on a $100 purchase -- would be used to bolster law enforcement and criminal justice priorities. They also promised to make this spending easy to track.
While the county and cities eventually lived up to these promises, it wasn't a smooth process by any means. Initially, a few of the cities started to siphon off the sales-tax money for expenses far removed from law enforcement. Wapato officials wanted to spend the extra funds on a youth center, arguing it was a way to keep kids from committing crimes.
A noble thought, but it flew in the face of what Proposition 1 had promised to the voters. The state's attorney general had to weigh in and declare that all funds had to be spent on law enforcement. Street repairs and youth centers don't make the grade.
Then there were serious problems with tracking how governments spent the money. When the campaign to renew the sales tax was launched earlier this fall, backers failed to present a complete audit of how the money has been spent since 2005. Instead, they told the news media, and the public, to check each city's Web site and patch together their own accounting of the expenditures.
That's not acceptable. While the county does have a spot on its Web site dedicated to three-tenths expenditures, not all of the cities are listed and much of the information is not current. This needs to be corrected, sooner than later.
Then there's the incongruity within the Yakima County Sheriff's Office. Instead of growing its cadre of officers over the years, the actual number of deputies has decreased, from 71 in 2005 to 66 this year. The sheriff blames the reduction on escalating expenses for wages, health care premiums, gasoline and vehicles.
Here's some advice -- get tougher in the collective bargaining sessions. Gone are the days of five-star health care plans. Gone are the days of hefty pay increases. Just two years ago, the starting wage for deputies was $40,934. It will rise to $48,417 in 2010 -- an 18 percent boost. Surely this is part of the reason we have fewer deputies.
Though the criminal justice sales tax may have encountered a few bumps along the way these past six years, that certainly doesn't mean the extra funds are not needed. As we clearly saw this summer with a spike in gang violence and the response by the Yakima City Council to beef up the city's police presence in troubled neighborhoods, this is not the time to pull back.
Those in law enforcement and the judicial system are there when we need them. Now it's our turn to be there when they need us.
We strongly urge a yes vote on Proposition 1
and continue the three-tenths of a cent criminal justice sales tax for another six years.
* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.
Just two thoughts...
#1 - If the 'justice system' PUNISHED crime, and didn't coddle it thanks to a liberalized, socialized legal system, then maybe these punks wouldn't be out committing crimes? If you were going to be flogged, or lose a hand for the next theft you commit, how likely would that be to affect your decision?
#2 - Yes, and if we vote for Eyman's initiative we've already been told the schools will have to close (well, that's what we're lead to conclude from all the smear ads on tv). Yep, if the gov't doesn't get what it wants, I'm sure it'll cut in all the places that'll hurt the public the most. "That'll teach them stupid voters out there that want to keep more of their own money..."
Elect,
You, good sir have solved the riddle of Government! You said:
"if the gov't doesn't get what it wants, I'm sure it'll cut in all the places that'll hurt the public the most. "That'll teach them stupid voters out there that want to keep more of their own money..."
Works at the local, state, regional and federal levels. Yep, you solved the riddle. After all "it's for the children."
"In 2004, most law enforcement officials conceded the justice system in Yakima County, and in many cities, was on the verge of collapse."
And I see very little improvement now, in spite of the new money thrown at the current system. Just more sand down the sinkhole that is our system of "Injustice", where criminals are treated as the victims and victims are forgotten or ignored. Unless we make BIG changes in the system we have, there will be no end in sight either.
"Elect" is correct. If a person deserves incarceration for committing a crime, then he should receive the full measure of its consequences. If those consequences were tough enough on a first offense, there is a good chance that the offender will not repeat. If he repeats, then throw the book at him. And quit treating prisoners as guests while they are in jail.
If we are going to get something for our "investment", then first, we need assurances that the money is spent as represented, without shifting like amounts from the justice system to be used for other purposes, as happened with some of the last approved tax. Also, it must be spent efficiently, while enforcing ALL our laws, including immigration.
The ultimate cause of non-enforcement of immigration laws has resulted in the vast majority of crime these days by the out-of-control population of illegal aliens and their overall impact on us here. Had we enforced our immigration laws, as already written, we wouldn't be faced with even the first 3% tax need, or even new schools and rising health care costs.
"Here's some advice -- get tougher in the collective bargaining sessions."
In that, I certainly agree with the Editors. However, I won't go as far as they might as to any kind of approval of unions in the public service business at all. Law enforcement officers need to be paid a fair wage for the continuous hazardous duties they perform for us. They also need safe and reasonably comfortable working conditions. They need the right equipment and also, support for their efforts in regards to criminals actually suffering consequences for their crimes, rather than being summarily released to do them again.
However, there needs to be some kind of ceiling, based upon achievement. One example might be performance pay for results. ie. If crime goes down, they get a bonus. If it goes up, they take a cut. The ramifications of this would echo from the bottom to the top of the department, assuring the best efforts from all levels from officers to administration. Incentives for efficient, (not to mean "cheap") use of department resources, would be rewarded as well by savings from better controls of spending priorities. Accountability is a must - It is easy to spend someone else's money, especially if it comes from a seemingly bottomless supply such as taxes.
"example might be performance pay for results. ie. If crime goes down, they get a bonus. If it goes up, they take a cut."
Careful. They'll just increase each officer's traffic ticket quota. If they don't get you one way, they'll get you another. I think the police need to be more concerned about genuine crimes and spend less time on patrolling for traffic offenses. There are obvious parts of town one would expect to see more police if this policy were followed...
I feel the passage of this tax is crucial for law enforcement. BUT, I voted against it for several reasons. As I have said to many, that I would vote for a whole 2 cent tax for the county sheriff. But this city of Sunnyside that I live at seems to play the shuffling game with voters money. I realize aall the law and justice tax will go to police officers or to law and justice. But, with this town and many others, they have a way of blowing money that was originally set up for law and justice and using it elsewhere because they now have this extra tax monies for law and order. My vote this time was against the bad useage of taxpayers monies by these bloated city council's that feel they can do what they want instead of doing what is best for the cities!
Report ViolationAnd datsdatruf!
Elect, I'm not sure traffic tickets are a priority anymore. As I watched, a patrol car allowed a driver to totally run a red-light, nearly in front of him. So many people ignore the lights these days that I slow at every intersection, controlled or not.
Nick, you may have a point, though I suspect that it depends upon each individual cop.
The main problem I see with performance-related pay is that then they have the power to generate the 'numbers' to show that crime is being reduced. Two studies using the same numbers can come up with opposite results just depending on who's working them. Statistics is hardly a science (or maybe, it should be said that the science is in manipulating the numbers?)
I think the problem is that #1 - common sense isn't common anymore and #2 - there are too many laws on the books to reasonably be able to enforce them all (and many 'laws' are simply rights violations by legislative fiat).
I voted for the measure but with reservations.
I am unhappy about the sentencing of some of these criminals and also the large number of illegal aliens in our communities and in our jails.
I am all for immigration but there needs to be a standard other than just being warm.
My doctors are immigrants, one from Jordan and one from Romania. They are true professionals and are an asset to the community.
The illegals that flood our country from all over the world, be they white, brown, black, yellow (or blue) should have something to offer other than the ability to pick apples, landscaping, or putting roofs on houses all the while undercutting local labor.
Most have little to no formal education.
We are flooded with drugs and gangs and a large part of this problem is our government's refusal to enforce our laws.
I wish we had another Joe Arpaio as sheriff here. (Maricopa County sheriff)
A nice long stretch in the desert in a tent while wearing pink underwear for a while would help change the attitude of some of these guys. They should do there time and when time has been served, a one way plane ride back to their home country.
OR..... three strikes and then a firing squad would work...
"They should do there time and when time has been "
"They should do THEIR time and when time has been "
Sorry for the typo.
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