Joan P. Smith: Plenty of ways to find money if Modesto wants to hire more cops
Modesto Mayor Garrad Marsh is complaining about not enough money for police protection. He says we need a half-cent increase in sales taxes.
In spite of opposition, he and the City Council are forging ahead with plans to build a new courthouse. In order to obtain this, they wasted taxpayer’s money by overpaying for property on the proposed site. As this was due to their bad judgment, this money should come from their pockets – not ours!
His administration has now signed a contract to put College Avenue on a “road diet” costing $1.5 million, in order to convert a local street into a turn lane rather than two lanes each way. This construction is already causing traffic problems.
We need more police protection in this drug- and crime-ridden city, so this should be a top priority – along with road repairs. He has raised $75,000 in campaign money in his bid for a second term, money from attorneys and developers who will, of course, reap the benefits. Yet the overtaxed public is expected to pay another tax! Do we need another incompetent mayor and city council in office, wasting our money and expecting us to foot the bill?
Joan Smith, Modesto
Editor’s note: The state of California is paying for contstruction of the new Stanislaus County Courthouse.
This story was originally published September 1, 2015 at 6:44 PM with the headline "Joan P. Smith: Plenty of ways to find money if Modesto wants to hire more cops."