The Minutemen to replace Sheriff’s Deputies?

The Minutemen to replace Sheriff’s Deputies??by Joe Olvera ©, 2010
Trying to balance the budget for El Paso County on the backs of Sheriff’s Deputies is not an option, according to one lawmaker. In a contentious disagreement between County Commissioner Dan Haggerty and Sheriff Richard Wiles, Haggerty had suggested that one way for the department to shave off five percent from its annual budget would be to fire some deputies. Wiles, who had no comment for this interview, had called Haggerty’s idea, “reckless and irresponsible.” Facing a $15 million budget shortfall, county officials are working to find ways to save money so that nobody has to be laid off, or put on furlough. Wiles had said in an earlier interview, that he had already trimmed costs by eliminating staff jobs, limiting overtime for jail employees, and by applying for grants.   “All I’m doing is holding the Sheriff accountable and waiting for something to happen,” said Haggerty. “If, as I have suggested, we do have to fire deputies, we would need to get rid of 100. I don’t know how that would impact the department or the service they provide, but, something needs to give.”Haggerty said that Commissioner Willie Gandara Jr. had been the one assigned to work with the sheriff’s union. But, Gandara, when asked what he would do to in the case of having to fire 100 deputies, said that he is totally against the idea. “It’s not going to happen,” Gandara said. “That is not an option.”One problem or situation that the County might face if it had to fire deputies is that paramilitary groups like the Minutemen, or other such groups, might come to the border to offer protection. Gandara was also against that happening. “Again, I will not entertain this question because I don’t anticipate to cut our law enforcement that is much needed in our county.”U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-El Paso County) said that budget problems are affecting many communities across the United States. “Many local governments across the country are dealing with budget deficits that require difficult choices over spending for public services, including security” Reyes said. “I hope that El Paso County can find a solution to its budget deficit that will not result in job losses to the Sheriff’s Department.”To Haggerty, however, it’s a matter of not providing increases for anybody, and for everybody, including county commissioners to undergo a five percent pay cut. “We need to decrease everyone’s pay by five percent,” Haggerty said. “It wouldn’t be fair if employees suffered a pay cut, but, sheriff’s deputies gain an eight percent raise?  Everybody has to give up a portion of their pay, that’s the only way that we can balance the budget without losing any officers. At the same time, we can’t break our contract with the sheriff’s union. However, if they continue doing their jobs at last year’s salary, we don’t need to fire anybody. The problem is they don’t want to negotiate, but, everybody will have to be impacted.”                                                       -30-