Posted on 06/27/2012 9:08:20 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Stockton, California is filing for the largest bankruptcy of any U.S. city in history due to the decline in the once hot housing market and an intake of debt during its boom years.
The city has cut more than $90 million in spending over the past few years, specifically in its police department. The city has cut over one quarter of its police jobs, which has led to a "surge in murders," and has created an "emboldened criminal element" in the city.
According to police spokesman Joe Silva, the city has had 87 murders since the start of 2011, 29 of which have already occurred this year. In contrast, there were 35 murders in 2009 and 48 in 2010. With six months left in the year, there have already been more murders in the city since the start of 2011 than the two-year stretch of 2009-2010.
Further cuts to the police department would likely only worsen the issue, so filing for bankruptcy after already having cut 40 percent of its city's employees was the only option, according to Mayor Ann Johnston.
“We have hit the wall; we are insolvent,” said Mayor Ann Johnston. "Citizens will not be affected. We will still have police and fire departments and we will still operate and pay our bills to vendors."
While the city still has police officers, the dramatic decrease in the department has certainly not helped the crime rate. It certainly seems like citizens have been affected.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Nickname(s): California's Sunrise Seaport, Mudville, Stocktown
Motto: "Stockton—All America City"
Country United States
State California
County San Joaquin
Incorporated July 1850
Government
• Type Council-Manager
• Mayor Ann Johnston
• City Council Elbert Holman
Katherine Miller
Paul Canepa
Diana Lowery
Susan Talamantes Eggman
Dale Fritchen
• City Manager Bob Deis
• Senate Lois Wolk (D)
• Assembly Joan Buchanan (D)
Cathleen Galgiani (D)
Area[1]
• City 64.753 sq mi (167.708 km2)
• Land 61.670 sq mi (159.723 km2)
• Water 3.083 sq mi (7.985 km2) 4.76%
Elevation 13 ft (4 m)
Population (2010)
• City 291,707
• Rank 1st in San Joaquin County
13th in California
65th in the United States
• Density 4,500/sq mi (1,700/km2)
• Metro 685,306
Time zone Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
• Summer (DST) Pacific (PDT) (UTC-7)
ZIP code 952xx
Area code(s) 209
FIPS code 06-75000
GNIS feature ID 1659872
Website www.stocktongov.com
Better arm the citizenry.
no police doesn’t “cause” murders. Murderers cause murders. You could have zero police if you had better people.
Not in california.
It amazes me that a city with about the highest crime rate in the state, would cut the police department by around 30% and expect things to get better.
I suppose with this bankruptcy the city can now renegotiate union contracts...??
True enough. My little town doesn’t have police anymore.
As far as I’m concerned, paying the county to have a cop roll through town once a week is a waste but there’s apparently a law that requires it if we want to remain a township. We pay a neighboring township for the use of their fire department.
Who will be next?
Don’t fire the third assistant wine steward to the mayor,
but gut the police force so that the public hurts and will submit to higher taxes.
“We have hit the wall; we are insolvent,” said Mayor Ann Johnston. “Citizens will not be affected.”
This statement is self-contradictory. Apparently the mayor is an idiot, and thinks the residents of her city are also idiots. I wonder who is being murdered in Stockton, if not citizens?
It’s a shame what’s happened to that city. Haven’t been there in decades but went there numerous times as a kid to visit relatives and back then (1960’s) it was a beautiful area.
Police: Cut way back.
Overpaid paper-pushing Administrators: Doing just fine.
It doesn’t amaze me in the least.
Leftist politicians always cut the most visible and painful service for the public to “punish” them for not funding the government better.
The entire California central valley, where I lived for 21 years; is toast. Redding-Sacramento-Stockton-Fresno.
The coastal areas attract wealthy business founders, entertainers and foreign wealth. Their employees must live nearby.
The central valley gets maybe some small businesses and we all know what happened to them. Even the retired state workers in Sacramento are moving out. Sucks to be Redding-Sacramento-Stockton-Fresno, they have no political clout.
I was in Stockton a month ago, for my wife's cousin's wedding. He said he and his new wife would live there. I told him that was a very bad idea. I don't plan on going there again anytime soon.
very insightful
Can you get “me” a concealed carry license there?
I would hope that most of this 40% are paper pushers. I wish they would provide a breakdown.
I bet it's all smoke-n-mirrors. Is there independent confirmation that 40% of the city workers have been "permanently" let go?
At the local,state and Federal level, the parasite class always, and I mean always, finds ways to bleed more from the hard-working taxpayers.
It is not because of the housing bubble, it is because politicians make promises they cannot keep with no consequence, why does Stockton need a marina, loans to pay for crap citizens don’t need.
Additionally, it will provide a like sequence of events that other cities will experience.
So far, having a stock of weapons and munitions is the first confirmed thing on everyone’s list of personal survival items.
I am going to purchase some more munitions and expend some of my older stock on the range this weekend. How about you?
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