Posted on 04/14/2009 9:02:00 PM PDT by djf
(Note: there were recently some comments made by one of the local commissioners when Mason County is facing budget cuts. The wheels on the news, etc, are spinnin doubletime tryin to distance themselves from his statements! Like it or not, there is a fairly large percentage of gun ownership in Washington State, and I'm getting a chuckle out of the whole thing. Article follows. Enjoy!!)
SHELTON, Wash. - Despite a Mason County commissioner's perceived call to arms, the county commission has approved a budget cut that will force layoffs in the sheriff's department.
Commissioners voted Tuesday to cut $1 million from the county's budget. Because $380,000 of that budget cut will come from the sheriff's office, four deputies are going to be laid off.
"The economy's dropping. Crime is rising. I see it on a daily basis when I patrol,” said Deputy Tim Ripp. The father of two is worried for his family’s future and his community.
Those cuts are getting a lot more attention after some controversial comments last week by commission chair Tim Sheldon.
Last week, Sheldon said he thought the cuts would make the county safer. He suggested that if more people in his county armed themselves and got the proper training, it could help offset cuts to law enforcement.
"It certainly is 'open season,'" said Sheldon. "There is no bag limit on criminals who try a home invasion in our communities."
Sheldon, who is also a state senator, also issued an off color warning to criminals.
"You might expect a lead enema. I'm telling you, people in Mason County are fed up with crime. They know how to protect themselves," Sheldon said.
Sheldon's remarks were quickly opposed by Sheriff Casey Salisbury, who worries that residents will turn to vigilantism. Sheldon clarified his remarks Tuesday.
“A well-armed citizen is always an asset to the community, let’s make that point,” said Sheldon. “I’ve never advocated any vigilantism or that kind of activity.”
"It tells the criminals we are a self-reliant group of citizens that are going to take care of themselves,” he added.
At Tuesday's commission hearing, several county residents also voiced their concerns. Some in remote parts of the county worry about delayed responses or how a higher crime rate could hurt tourism. Others said they didn’t want to rely on themselves or handguns for protection.
“And I’m a kind of bad shot, so if I have to protect myself and I miss when I go to court, I guess I can say my state senator told me to do it,” said resident John Strasburger.
"I don't want to be living in the old west,” said another citizen.
Sheldon says he hopes the cuts will make the sheriff’s office work better and closer with neighboring agencies.
(Second note: I totally can't stomach these pukes who give the "I don't want to live in the wild west crap...". Well, then, move the hell down to South Central LA!!)
more reasons why we need to protect ourselves. our government has and still is failing.
Washington state ping!
Can't expect the state to do everything for you. Those who can't protect themselves are the ones neighbors and deputies need to be looking out for.
As for cutting the sheriffs office, I say good. They have become bloated with all the jail deputies supervising every pot-head and other petty criminal. It's time the judges start putting ankle bracelets on the morons, turn the illegals over to ICE, and lock up only the truly dangerous. Locking up drug users, probation violators, shoplifters, and other assorted morons for extended periods of time makes little sense. Far better to put them on house arrest with work release if they are people who have jobs.
One of the local housing areas was getting alot of mail theft, somebody hand painted a sign saying “Thieves will be shot”.
I figured by now somebody would make them take it down, but it’s still there. Been over a year now.
>One of the local housing areas was getting alot of mail theft, somebody hand painted a sign saying “Thieves will be shot”.
Two questions:
1) Did the mail-thieving stop?
2) Did someone need to be shot to stop?
Not sure.
Hearing gunfire near here is not an hourly event... but you often hear folks shooting on the weekends, etc. Nice days, when folks are out barbecuing, you can hear them popping off a few.
Been there, done that.
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