Dirty Harry
11-02-2006, 02:50 AM
Bigger can be better in county
Re: Pinellas County charter amendments.
I have lived in Pinellas County for more than 42 years. I saw this county grow from a small town with farms to the most densely populated county in the state.
Our crimes cross all borders, including counties, but more specifically, cities. It makes too much sense to consolidate certain public service agencies to capture, prevent and identify the criminals in our county. Many city leaders may not want to admit consolidation of law enforcement may be valuable to all of the residents of the county. They are only concerned with their empire.
The Largo city manager, Steve Stanton, told me in 2004 that he envisioned all of Pinellas County with no sheriff's patrol as we know it today. He is determined to diminish the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office to only road patrol in Palm Harbor, as it is too hard to annex, and maybe the jail, forensics and the bailiff section.
Wake up, Pinellas. We seceded from Hillsborough County many decades ago to be free from too much government control. The cities may vow their best interests to you, but what do they really want? Your money. Many aspects of our county can be more efficient at less expense under one entity.
Sometimes bigger is better. I feel this could be one of the cases by consolidating certain government functions.
Larry Weglarz, Tarpon Springs
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/22/North ... aise.shtml (http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/22/Northpinellas/Unity_of_cities_raise.shtml)
Re: Pinellas County charter amendments.
I have lived in Pinellas County for more than 42 years. I saw this county grow from a small town with farms to the most densely populated county in the state.
Our crimes cross all borders, including counties, but more specifically, cities. It makes too much sense to consolidate certain public service agencies to capture, prevent and identify the criminals in our county. Many city leaders may not want to admit consolidation of law enforcement may be valuable to all of the residents of the county. They are only concerned with their empire.
The Largo city manager, Steve Stanton, told me in 2004 that he envisioned all of Pinellas County with no sheriff's patrol as we know it today. He is determined to diminish the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office to only road patrol in Palm Harbor, as it is too hard to annex, and maybe the jail, forensics and the bailiff section.
Wake up, Pinellas. We seceded from Hillsborough County many decades ago to be free from too much government control. The cities may vow their best interests to you, but what do they really want? Your money. Many aspects of our county can be more efficient at less expense under one entity.
Sometimes bigger is better. I feel this could be one of the cases by consolidating certain government functions.
Larry Weglarz, Tarpon Springs
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/22/North ... aise.shtml (http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/22/Northpinellas/Unity_of_cities_raise.shtml)