All of the last four Sheriffs (Carpenter, Thomas, Anderson and Bill Brown) have struggled under a court order that forced them to release criminals from jail before their sentences were finished, solely because of an inadequate-sized jail system. We know that at least 70 percent of the offenders go right back out and commit more crimes. Early release is unacceptable! Criminals need to be held accountable for their crimes. All of these Sheriffs have asked for help for 30 years!

I served on the 1995-96 Grand Jury when we recommended the need for a North County jail as other Grand Juries have continuously done too.

It’s time for us to step up and support our Sheriff, as well as other public safety officials, so they can properly do the job we ask them to do.

Measure S is about as good a proposal as there is. It is based on the Blue Ribbon Commission on Jail Overcrowding’s recommendation, a citizens group that studied this problem in depth. We now have the land to build the jail on, and we have a $56 million dollar grant from the state if we act now!

Let’s stop talking about what should have been done, and let’s concentrate on what has to be done! Due to expiration of a two-year, temporary, one percent sales tax that expires June 30, 2011, we will have a net reduction of our sales tax from 8.75 percent to 8.25 percent, a full half-percent less that retailers have to collect. We should all vote “yes” on Measure S.—Josiah C. “Si” Jenkins, S.B. (owner, Jedlica’s Saddlery)

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