First Responders Should Be Last To Go
My heart is breaking for the Bossier City police officers, firefighters and other city workers who face being laid off because of budget problems.
You know things are really bad when a city has no choice but to start getting rid of first responders. It’s scary to think the same poor economy that’s causing crime to increase across the country is the very thing that’s causing at least one city to decrease the number of its crime fighters.
I don’t know as many Bossier officers or firefighters as I do Shreveport/Caddo, but I respect and admire them all the same. These men and women work too damn hard to just all of a sudden have their lives ripped out from underneath them. I’d give anything to have enough money to keep them on the force.
I’m not sure what caused the budget problems in Bossier, but I guarantee you I’ll be praying the city can some how come up with a solution other than laying people off.
Where’s a government bailout when it comes to protecting lives?
Chris,
It’s not the economy that caused this disaster. Our mayor and city council have been mismanaging our city’s funds for years. They have known for years that this would happen. They have been taking money from a surplus fund to fund the Police and Fire Departments all the while spending money on non-emergent projects such as CIC, the boardwalk, overpasses, etc. They knew the entire time this money would run out and did nothing. They rolled back property taxes that could have secured these jobs. They did nothing. They knew about this at election time, but said nothing because they knew it wouldn’t sit well with voters. Now, theses guys who put on bullet-proof vests just to walk out the door for work, and these guys who walk into burning buildings or help in emergencies are left to pay for the city government’s unwillingness to do the right thing and provide basic services for our city. My husband is one of those who is to be laid off.
There is a movement happening to save these jobs. Check out the group on Facebook…Save Our Bossier City Police and Fire. We will be at the city council meeting fighting for these jobs. The worst part is, that a lot of people in Bosser don’t even know about this because of a lack of media coverage. Tell everyone that these guys aren’t going quietly and we need all the help we can get.
Chris,
Politicians are the same whether they be in Bossier City, Benton, Shreveport, Baton Rouge or Washington D.C.
If there is a budget shortfall the gutless pols are going to cut the most visible services; law enforcement, fire protection, trash pick-ups, parks and recreation, etc.
That is called the “Washington Monument Syndrome”. Don’t cut any of the patronage positions, cut the most visible and needed services.
Throw the bums out—–all of them and start over.