The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Dear Editor,
Open Letter to the Citizens of Stronghurst:
Would someone give me a new calculator? Mine is broken. I attended the village board meeting on September 7th to hear the report of the stop sign committee. During the meeting a short discussion about the police department came up. The mayor made the comment that the village was getting more police protection for less money than the county sheriff contract of $34,000 per year.
I don't know if you're getting more protection or not. I'll let the reader decide that for yourself. On September 8, the Quill published the budget for this fiscal year.
For those of you that missed it, the police budget was $111,800, 3 times what the county was charging. That was an eye opener, so I went down the list. I saw only 3 items that were capital expenditures.
All the annual expenditures add up to $46,800. I'm guessing the squad car ($25,000), squad car repair and updates ($10,000), and office ($30,000) are going to be paid for with grants. Don't forget what a grant is. A grant is money you and I have sent to Washington and Springfield in the form of various taxes.
The government takes their cut and sends it back to us with strings attached and we are supposed to say thank you. It would be interesting to know what the village is committed to do to get that money.
If the people of Stronghurst are happy with the police protection, that's fine, but don't think it's costing less.
Jerry Malcolm
Stronghurst