Posted on 06/27/2012 9:08:20 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Stockton, California is filing for the largest bankruptcy of any U.S. city in history due to the decline in the once hot housing market and an intake of debt during its boom years.
The city has cut more than $90 million in spending over the past few years, specifically in its police department. The city has cut over one quarter of its police jobs, which has led to a "surge in murders," and has created an "emboldened criminal element" in the city.
According to police spokesman Joe Silva, the city has had 87 murders since the start of 2011, 29 of which have already occurred this year. In contrast, there were 35 murders in 2009 and 48 in 2010. With six months left in the year, there have already been more murders in the city since the start of 2011 than the two-year stretch of 2009-2010.
Further cuts to the police department would likely only worsen the issue, so filing for bankruptcy after already having cut 40 percent of its city's employees was the only option, according to Mayor Ann Johnston.
We have hit the wall; we are insolvent, said Mayor Ann Johnston. "Citizens will not be affected. We will still have police and fire departments and we will still operate and pay our bills to vendors."
While the city still has police officers, the dramatic decrease in the department has certainly not helped the crime rate. It certainly seems like citizens have been affected.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Modesto, is not better, lived there for awhile and SO glad to get out the area!
“I wonder who is being murdered in Stockton, if not citizens?”
My best guess is that most of the murders are gang-related, so let them have art it. Sort of a self-cleansing of the gene pool. Stockton is an example of what illegal immigration can do to a once great place to live.
Yes, that’s the tried and true method so-called civil servants have perfected in order to blackmail the taxpayers and keep their own costly perks. Unfortunately, it works.
It is a Gang Infested city, when I lived not to far away 6 years ago, I was told not to go in certain places by a county Sherriff.
CCW issue is up to the discretion of the local sheriff or chief of police, which means that if the Stockton police chief decided to make the policy "shall issue", he could do so.
As it stands San Joaquin County (which Stockton is the county seat of) is listed as "will issue for reasonable good cause, known to issue to 'average persons'"
Then again, city government is Democrat-controlled.
What’s so bad about Stockton?
That’s what happens when the average yearly pension for a fire fighter is $157,000.
Does that mean that if they increased the police force by 30%, the crime rate would go down?
You are fighting silly statistics. The crime rate would go down if all citizens were armed and dangerous (to criminals).
If you were factual, you would realize that most of the police force is used to collect money to perpetuate their existence, not crime. Reducing the force by 30% just reduced their funds, not an increase in crime necessarily.
“It is not because of the housing bubble, it is because politicians make promises they cannot keep with no consequence, why does Stockton need a marina, loans to pay for crap citizens dont need.”
So tell me, if that’s the case, why did Santa Clara County just vote for millions for the 49ers football team to have a new stadium in which to play, then vote 70% in favor of cutting PE union pensions? They are nuts! Everyone still wants all the “free stuff.” Bigger cities are coming to the bankruptcy court, and soon, and some states will not be far behind. The world’s governments are essentially all broke! Except maybe Iceland and Switzerland and some crappy little islands in the middle of nowhere.
When I got transferred to Bakersfield in 1986, even then, rest of the valley knew about Cesspool Stockton crime rate.
Same thing happened in Lawrence, MA, one of our "sanctuary cities" here in the Commonwealth.
I believe the correct phrase would be, “Kin ah git me uh huntin’ licence?” courtesy of John F-ing Kerry.
Laughlin, NV contracts with Las Vegas Metro for their police force.
Laughlin, NV contracts with Las Vegas Metro for their police force.
When you need help the police are never there anyway, too dangerous. They show up after the bad guy has done his thing.
California became a state.
The people had no electricity.
The state had no money.
Almost everyone spoke Spanish.
There were gunfights in the streets.
So, nothing much has changed, except women had real boobs, and men didnt hold hands.
Isn’t that the truth! The police are there to attempt to solve a crime after it happens, not to stop crime. A distinction that most miss.
Yes, I will call 911 and wait for the police when a break in occurs - and wait and wait...
Look for the UNION label.
Probably the best thing that happened to them - they found out that maybe they have to look out for themselves.
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