Letters to the editor, August 28, 2008

Apples and oranges in police/fire comparison

In my opinion, the editor for the Desert Dispatch — Scott Shackford — didn’t do as good a job of gathering information regarding the police and fire department’s financial operations, as he claims to have done. Although, I have to agree with him, some smarter fiscal management is in order. But the place for that better management is not just here in Barstow. Oh no! But rather in our state capital. We all know that the new budget for next year is late again, (what else is new). Plus, it is so far in the hole, they are thinking about doing what they always do — take the money from the small cities and special districts.

So my reply to you Mr. Shackford is this:

We have been blessed with a new city manager, who from all appearances, is about to do exactly what you propose regarding the police department and all the city finances. I believe we will see great improvements regarding the way our tax dollars are spent, whether it is for more police officers or for the needs of any of the other agencies under his direction. The issue with the police department is simply this — you would have to be blind or not in touch with the real world, not to realize that our fair city has been dumped on by so many other cities, (including our closest neighbor, Victorville). We have so many less-than-desirable people, we definitely need these additional police officers and firefighters, just to deal with the problems they bring.

Now comes the “Apple and Oranges” part of this letter. The fire department is a special district. This, it is not governed by the city directly. As a special district they are at the mercy of Sacramento to obtain their funds. If the state is in trouble, then they simply cut the funds for the special districts (all special districts). That, Mr. Shackford, is a fact. A fact — which you obviously neglected to discover. They have no other means of obtaining funds. It is also a fact, that the fire department is short personnel to man the fire trucks in sufficient numbers, to meet government requirements. So, this special tax is an attempt to correct the problem and protect our citizens living here in Barstow.  I won’t even try and address your pathetic reasoning as to the appropriateness of the salaries for the firefighters and police departments. Only to say this — God, help you if you ever need either one of them, and they just couldn’t respond as quickly as they wished they could have — “Because they were understaffed.”

Robert M. Stapp Sr.
Barstow