Politicians’ decisions led us into

 Hernando’s budget crisis

Published Wednesday, July 22, 2009 on-line

In Print: Thursday, July 23, 2009

by Brian P. Moore, Brooksville/Spring Hill, Florida

Fewer county services, government employee layoffs and possibly higher taxes now become the possible avenues for our county commissioners to take in order to reduce our county budget deficit.

As our local political leaders look for creative ways and hidden or unused funds, the imminent threat of government employee layoffs and fewer basic and needed services lie just ahead.

While questions are raised by our commissioners about alternative use of money initially planned for a new judicial center, where were our political leaders previously challenging the heavy-handed, law-and-order judges who have been imprisoning an exorbitant amount of citizens, for long sentences and for questionable criminal acts?

Why weren’t our commissioners speaking out as our jails filled up for questionable illegal activities, or for nonviolent crimes such as drug use (i.e. marijuana possession, etc.)?

Where were Commissioners Rose Rocco and David Russell, and the other commissioners, when the judges let off the adult son of a former Florida state highway patrolman for vehicular manslaughter, with probation, and yet threw 19-year-olds, who are first-time offenders, in jail for 30 years, for the same type of accidental vehicular manslaughter events?

Hernando and 5th Circuit Court judges act politically correct, and then expect to be rewarded with new and bigger administrative offices to match their heavy hands of justice!

Why did our county commissioners contract with a private company to administer our public jails for less money, thus resulting in fewer services, little rehabilitation and poorer servicing of our prisoners, while prisoner recidivism increases? The result of using private contractors is a logjam in our judicial system and in our overcrowded jails.

Our budget deficits are the direct result of failed political leadership, on the county, state and federal levels. The politicians, and the two major parties, are guilty of making decisions that reward and protect their longevity, but cause long-term havoc and unfair suffering of our innocent civilians and workers.

Brian P. Moore, Spring Hill