Tax vote should have assured sheriff's funding

Tax vote should have assured sheriff's funding
EDITOR:
Regarding the cut backs to the sheriff's department, I seem to remember voting to renew the 0.5 percent county sales tax, and actually encouraging many others to vote for it. The renewal seemed to be the right choice especially with all the cuts pending towards the sheriff's department. So if the renewal passed, why am I reading an article about the sheriff's department having to make cut backs again? The vote was taken not much longer than a month ago. Surely our commissioners saw these shortages coming. Could things have changed so radically in such a short period of time?
Sheriff Wellington presents his case well and has his books open for all to see. There is no more room to cut. Morale and personal safety is already low. Think about how happy you would be, if due to personnel shortages, you were forced to work overtime and not get paid overtime wages. On top of that, think about how you have to spend those extra hours, risking life and limb dealing with dangerous criminals and low-lifes. Just imagine the strain on those officers. Then imagine it with another 80 deputies laid off. What about the elevated risk level they will be put in? What kind of risk does such a cut put the county residents in?
As stated in The Vindicator article of Dec. 16, Sheriff Wellington has the authority to take legal action to obtain desperately needed funds. According to the article, he does not wish to do so. Maybe it is time he did. Maybe we should get the state involved and go over all the county books. Maybe then we will find out if the sheriff's department is inefficient or just being held as a hostage.
MARTY NOVOTNY
Youngstown
Best New Year's resolution would result in peace
EDITOR:
Could any New Year's resolution be more desired or perfect than to have our country and Iraq resolve their differences in a peaceful way?
I support President Bush for his strong no-nonsense stand against Iraq, and I believe he is trying very hard to keep the lid on what could develop into a very explosive situation.
Peace remains only a word if the mindset of leaders are not united in sincerely achieving it.
War is destructive and evil, and should be engaged in only as a last resort.
Should our country go to war with Iraq, our leaders must be certain they will not be blamed for something that was not in their power to change.
Americans know the price of freedom is high. But we also know the loss of human lives is priceless.
I believe in the saying "Those who desire peace, will acquire peace."
MARY LOU JURINA
Youngstown
Congress isn't addressing unemployment problems
EDITOR:
The House went on vacation before voting to extend unemployment benefits and afterward the president said that they shouldn't have done that. Oh really?
I just heard that the unemployment figures are better this month. Give us a break.
A lot of laid off workers ran out of benefits over the weekend and that will continue each week after. Oh, a few may have found jobs, and if they have, they are probably very underemployed. Check the help wanted ads some time.
NAFTA has all but ruined us, and yet it goes on and one. I don't get it.
Laid off workers and fewer jobs means less tax revenue. Makes you wonder who is paying the bills, or should I say, how are they getting paid?
We are going to end up just like Russia if this goes on much longer.
RONALD SLOAN
Mercer, Pa.