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Best of the Web for Nov. 23

Sheriff’s budget

— The sheriff’s department is charged with a number of public safety responsibilities. These responsibilities are not optional expenses for the county. Despite being in a budget crunch, we are not in the kind of emergency that requires cutting back on these fundamental services. It is the commissioner’s role to find the funds needed for the department to do its work. : The mileage they are suggesting comes to about 400 miles per day for the entire department. With a little more than 2200 square miles to patrol in addition to the other department business, is that a realistic number?

– teleflypicker

Sheriff could cut back

Maybe a little efficiency on the good sheriff’s behalf would have been a better strategy at working with the budget he was allowed. For instance, keep a 20 percent reserve of resources (gas, mileage, wage expenditures) for emergency purposes.



– another_boater

School officers valuable

Ms. Brown, school board member, says that there is “no immediate need” for a school officer.



Do we wait until we have an “immediate need” to secure health or life insurance? No.

The school officers do a tremendous job. Their presence stops a bit of trouble before it happens. It is much more preferable not to have a problem than to rectify it after the fact. The officers can become the students’ friend and show that police are approachable. This can give our kids a feeling of security and teach them that officers are not the bad guys that show up to take them to jail.

– justice4all

Affordable housing woes

Our social engineers are ensured of job security trying to micromanage this feel-good program. The open market will handle this with much more wisdom than bureaucrats ever will. Our national economy is going through market discipline in spite of all the efforts to short-circuit the system.

– Fred Duckels

Deed-restriction dilemma

There is a serious misconception with our public officials and the public about the demand for deed-restricted properties in Steamboat Springs. Unless there are initial “strong” incentives for buyers, such as lower-interest mortgage or down-payment assistance, these condos are going to sit vacant, and in this financial market, the public officials better realize First Tracks (along with other residential and commercial projects) may sit in its current state of construction unless the inclusionary zoning, including the deed restrictions, are re-evaluated. Even before the financial crisis, this project was destined for failure, as the demand is not there for deed-restricted product.

– bigfatdog

Conservation catches up

The move toward conservation has finally paid off in environmental protection costs, which have crushed the economy.

A 17 percent decrease in tourist bookings will translate into less CO2 emissions and a reduction in consumption of other precious resources.

So, hey all you laid-off greenies! Did you think it wouldn’t catch up with you?

Oops.

– aichempty


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