[gfmucci]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

One of the options available to The Villages is "Contract Coverage" with the three Sheriff's Departments. *That is to pay for dedicated patrols inside the Villages proper. *This is a system used in many states...

I agree this is an option but not a good one.*

Here's why.

Which ever part of TV you live in, you are in one county or another - counties that are responsible for effective law enforcement.* As a strong and unified political force in each of these three counties, Villages residents should demand effective law enforcement, with appropriate funding.* I understand each County is somewhat rural, especially Sumter.* They probably have a rural government and law enforcement mentality...meaning that they have minimal resources, capacity, and expectations for their effectiveness - with primary reliance on the older rural ethic of neighbors taking care of business.

I have a difficult time*accepting what amounts to "double taxation" by paying for supplemental contract law enforcement when the taxes we're paying, or maybe a smidgeon more county wide, ought to buy effective enforcement.* What you want to bet that each portion of TV in each County in which its located already pays a disproportionately larger share of taxes per square mile than does the NON-Villages portions of those counties?* We should press for improved presence of law enforcement through the taxes we're already paying before we cave into the idea of paying only out of our pockets for supplemental policing.