LETTER: Sheriff’s levy reached too far

Personally I have mixed feelings on the recently proposed sheriff’s levy failure and I’m not going to admit how I voted. However, I do want to offer my own “pea-brained” analysis.

There is definitely a need for more sheriff’s patrols in Umatilla County. We rural people do appreciate your service and understand you are greatly stretched and understaffed.

Then there is the levy. We are also stretched — levies to the left, bonds to the right. We are pretty much “bonded out.”

Anyway, from my perspective the sheriff’s department should not take the “vote-down” as a slap down.

The proposed increase in patrols and cost thereof appeared a tad bit exorbitant for the rural folks to swallow. Pared down, the levy might have passed. It’s the taxes, taxes and more taxes. To paraphrase, “sooner or later it becomes real money.”