News & Notes
Budget Hearings - Day 2
With the proposed cuts I mentioned in my last post, this would bring the grand total to 30.5 full time positions cut if they fail to raise taxes this year.
Budget Hearings - Day 1
Treasurer Megan Simms explained that each General Fund department was asked to prepare a budget with a 15% cut. The county is facing a roughly $5 million shortfall which they hope to patch by raising taxes through a "Public Safety" levy that is only supposed to be used for the jail and district attorney.
FACT CHECK: Taxes
Based on an analysis published by the Oregon Department of Revenue in 2021, Coos County property owners pay an average actual tax rate of $13.23 per $1k of assessed value which places us 10th from the lowest out of 36 counties in Oregon.
Cowards.
We need strong leaders of strong character to stand up for the freedoms and values that our country was founded on. I am running for County Commissioner to stand up for you and your rights. I am not running to be the "nice guy" who gets along with everyone because guess what... we've all tried that and it's not working.
Commissioners got a 10% raise last year
The Commissioners received a 10% raise last year while at the same time claiming the county is out of cash.
Seven Solutions to Fix the Jail Crisis
There is simply no legitimate reason to keep the jail closed and continue the daily release of criminals which endangers the public and holds no one accountable for their actions. Here are seven solutions to fix this crisis.
Declare an Emergency, now.
If we seek to remain in a civilized society, it is the responsibility of the government to arrest and jail all persons who break the peace, and threaten life and property. Failing to act now will lead us further into a state of lawlessness and I will not stand idly by while criminals take over our neighborhoods.
An update on the Jail crisis
Our leadership needs to aggressively pursue alternative solutions to the jail crisis and not just offer up excuses. We need to take immediate, decisive action to prevent the situation from getting worse, and work together to come up with an acceptable solution that will make our neighborhoods safe again. Sadly, our elected leaders are currently sitting on their hands.
Some thoughts on the Jail crisis
After many in the community have testified to the sharp rise in criminal activity, my main question for local leadership is: How is this not an emergency?