The various law enforcement departments are already getting more than their fair share of the tax dollar. The problem is not lack of funding; the problem is a discrepancy in priorities. The voters, when supporting taxes for law enforcement, have the battle against violent crime at the top of their priority list, but the police always have the same priority: issuing speeding tickets.
The fact is, if the law enforcement community spent half the time and effort trying to combat violent crime that they presently do terrorizing motorists, we wouldn't have a crime problem in this country! Where would we be if the cops had spent their money on security cameras instead of radar guns? What if the cops parked in the crime-ridden neighborhoods rather than behind the bushes on the freeway?
How about this: let's take a survey of taxpayers, asking them to prioritize the types of crime that law enforcement should be concentrating on. Then, let's do a study on what percentage of enforcement resources are spent on the various areas, and then discuss the differences.
IMHO, if we ask the taxpayers, they'd just as soon spend damn near nothing on traffic enforcement. In fact, if the enforcement agencies start concentrating on real crime, they might find the taxpayers much more receptive to budget increases.
Return to Kirby Palm's opinions page.
Return to Kirby Palm's home page.
Of course, if you have questions or comments, you are welcome to send e-mail to me at palmk@nettally.com.