We the public, the residents of Bexar County and PCT3, the VOTERS, do not agree with the decision by our elected officials, specifically the County Judge and my Commissioner, to cut Law Enforcement in PCT 3 or any other Precinct by 15%. In a time of civil unrest, growth, threats of terrorism and increase in active shooters, this is just wrong. Public safety is priority one. In rural Bexar County, the BCSO provides a maximum of 4 officers (In the precinct 3 rural service area) and the Constable fields 17 officers. That presence will be forced to decrease if Commissioner Court does not reverse its decision.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Abandoning Public Safety and the First Priority: This is not a prudent decision and as a voter, I disagree with the County Judge acting as the CEO of the County and my Commissioner acting on my behalf and I demand this decision be reversed. Precinct 3 is one of the fastest growing precincts in the county and has the highest population compared to the other precincts. For you to cut Law Enforcement by 15% is just not prudent or understandable.

Property Tax Re-Distribution of Wealth: Residents in Precinct 3 are currently paying 2.5 times more in property tax evaluations, but will be receiving less in services, including constable police protection. The Commissioners Court with County Judge Wolff, will be taking tax dollars raised in precinct 3 and redistributing it to other areas outside where those dollars were taken and giving it to areas who only have a tax burden much less than a third of what precinct 3 residents pay. My Commissioner and the County Judge will be decreasing precinct 3 police services by 15% sending those resources to other parts of the county that pay less in taxes. If you live in precinct 3 you will have fewer officers to enforce DWI’s, Traffic Safety, School Safety and Zones, Warrants (especially family violence and DWI fugitive warrants), Vacation Patrol-By’s, and many other services.

Homeland Security: When you think of first responders, local Law Enforcement are the first responders in critical incidents that occur in our community, such as in an active shooter situation, a disaster, acts of terrorism, school safety and security and other such occurrences. Local Law Enforcement is there on the ground as it is happening. We do not have time to sit and wait for a federal response to an incident. We have seen how that occurs; it can sometimes take days, weeks, or even months for a federal response.

Action Needed: In today’s times the County Judge and my Commissioner should be supporting local Law Enforcement and not working against them. The Commissioners just this year redistricted the boundaries and have not given the Constables reasonable time to even assess the new areas, before they start cutting our police protection.

I as a voter have signed this petition and ask that my voice be heard in doing so. I know the “workload” measure is a distraction and a manipulated statistic and defense of that fiction is not acceptable to me or my voting friends. I expect a personal call back from my Commissioner and the County Judge regarding this issue and I will not stand for less. I am taking my personal time to voice my opinion on this matter and I do vote based on the action or lack thereof by my elected officials. I take it personal when the people I have voted into office do not take the time for the people who elected them and place their needs above their own. If I do not get a personal call back from the County Judge and my Commissioner, I will remember your inaction and I will make my recommendations as to whom to vote for or against to my voting friends and in my own personal vote in the future.