Plea for Prop 100
As president of the Arizona Highway Patrol Association, I represent the dedicated and professional men and women of the Arizona Department of Public Safety. I, like many DPS employees, chose the profession of law enforcement for one primary ambition: to serve the citizens of Arizona. I have seen firsthand what criminal elements can and will do to harm our loved-ones. Arizonans have had proactive, engaged officers to help decrease crime. Officers are honored to give citizens a peace of mind that we will be there to help them when needed. However, over the last year our great state has had to cut billions of dollars, resulting in significant changes to the way DPS operates. DPS has endured cuts over the last two years equating to $116M, forcing our department to function with slim essential services and personnel. This has meant a continued shortage of Highway Patrol officers. Other enforcement units within the agency have also been reduced or eliminated due to budget cuts; primarily the fraudulent Task Force, which targets criminals intent on stealing your identity. Additionally the vehicle theft unit has been cut in almost half. Despite these shortages in manpower coupled with funding cuts, the dedicated personnel of DPS continue to do their job professionally and with pride.
A temporary revenue source is a must for our state because core government responsibilities, like public safety, must be funded adequately. Otherwise the state would be forced to deal with 2010 crimes, 2010 prison counts at 2004-era funding levels. If Prop 100 fails, DPS is expecting another $10.9 million cut from our 2011 budget, which will likely result in the lay-off of hundreds of officers and support staff. The significant consequence of further cuts to DPS will more than likely be increased response times for Highway Patrol Officers and other enforcement units. What this ultimately means is serious long-term damage to Arizona’s communities, neighborhoods, schools and other services. As a father of two, and a police officer, I cannot let that happen.
No Arizona citizen wants to be taxed more than we already are in these economic times. Families, like mine, have had to make changes in order to deal with our fiscal downturn.
By supporting Proposition 100, you are helping to secure the safety and security of Arizona citizens in the future with a temporary solution.
Jimmy Chavez
President, Arizona Highway Patrol
