I have lived in Jacksonville for 11 years now and for all of those years I've wondered why the police get to take patrol cars home for personal use. The story I've been told is that if the patrol cars are in the neighborhood crime goes down. Really? So an officer driving a patrol car on taxpayer money to go to the store or run errands makes the city safer? It's time for the sheriff to put up or shut up! Show us the facts about arrest that off duty police make. They shouldn't waste the city's gas and not to mention wear and tear on the vehicle just so they can park in the fire zone while they do there grocery shopping. Not to mention the worthless 911 operators that don't take calls seriously. Remember the operator that "wished the caller would just go home" when reporting the drunk driver that killed the woman on the Buckman bridge? Or what about the kidnapping victim that died and it took 3 days before the police came to collect evidence? Maybe downsizing the police isn't a bad idea. Get rid of the useless people and start running the sheriffs office more efficiently.

CFX paying a trespasser's family 2 million dollars? What has happened to our system of justice. That brat was trespassing on private property. There were sign there that he refused to obey and it cost him dearly. It was his fault just the same if he crossed through a crossing gate. I hope CFX appeals the ruling and get it thrown out. Wake up, your idiot son ignored the signs. You want a fence put up? Do you have the money to pay for one?

Where is the extra money to come from? We have so many people unemployed and you think we have money for the police officers. Do away with the paid community service officers and use retired volunteers.Other cities do it. Get rid of the stupid union, stop police units from being driven out of the county like Clay County does. Buy cheaper automobiles. There are a few that would make better police cars and give better mileage. Do away with the current pension and go to a 401 type of retirement pension. Last year you pulled the same crap and did not lay anyone off. Mayor Brown is trying to do what he said when he ran for office. I just wish I live there in Jacksonville.

C'mon Sheriff, don't fall into the blame game, you know what the deal is.

I don't know where the mayor is going to come up with the extra money, but cutting the police again is not the answer. To lose the Matrix House is a great loss. I was a drug addict for years, and was sentenced to the Matrix House, without that program I would be dead now. I am now 3 1/2 years clean and I attribute much of my sobriety to having gone through the drug rehab program. I hope the mayor looks at what he is losing and the lives he is risking!

And a great big thank you to John Peyton, for the total mess that you left!

Thank you jabuchanjx for doing the math! We (the homeowners) can not and should not have to shoulder all this burden! Find a way to spread the hurt!

My two cents worth, First a thank you and second I hope you read, I wish to show you just how this so called 20 to 30 dollar increases on my property runs. 2008 taxes – 742.00 plus extra tax - 109.00 total – 851.00-- 2009 taxes – while the taxes went down to 517.00 the extra tax went up to – 200.00 total 717.00-- 2010 taxes – 570.00 extra taxes jump to 365.00 totals – 935.00-- 2011 taxes - 901.43 extra taxes jumps again to 571.80 totals - 1,473.23-- I do not know what school of math Rutherford or other Councilperson went to, however my school of math is showing more than 20 to 30 dollars a house raised. And now they are talking about leaving it as it is or raising it again! They are implementing and DOING/USEING the quick fix. Tax the land owners for they will pay because they do not want to loose their land. Why not implement (I know it takes a little longer) a penny .01 cent sales tax? In doing this, they not only receive the money, revenue they say they need, they spread the burden over all. Why should I be saddled with the guilt trip they’re trying to lay on, of the police being laid off. “With out this tax increase the safety of all is in jeopardy.” Please, what about my HOME! It’s in jeopardy! The responsibility of safety funding should be the responsibility of ALL not just a few (land owners) simply because you know you can tax us and we have to pay, or loose our land in which case you will own it. I know you are against it and feel or know there are other avenues that can be sought out. I believe there are some if not several upper chambers/offices that can be skimmed or merged into other offices therefore eliminating some of the high pay salaries. While you can skim the fat (per say) off the bottom, you can only skim so much before you crumble or weaken the foundation causing it to tumble over.

My two cents worth, First a thank you and second I hope you read, I wish to show you just how this so called 20 to 30 dollar increases on my property runs. 2008 taxes – 742.00 plus extra tax - 109.00 total – 851.00 2009 taxes – while the taxes went down to 517.00 the extra tax went up to – 200.00 total 717.00 2010 taxes – 570.00 extra taxes jump to 365.00 totals – 935.00 2011 taxes - 901.43 extra taxes jumps again to 571.80 totals - 1,473.23 I do not know what school of math Rutherford or other Councilperson went to, however my school of math is showing more than 20 to 30 dollars a house raised. And now they are talking about leaving it as it is or raising it again! They are implementing and DOING/USEING the quick fix. Tax the land owners for they will pay because they do not want to loose their land. Why not implement (I know it takes a little longer) a penny .01 cent sales tax? In doing this, they not only receive the money, revenue they say they need, they spread the burden over all. Why should I be saddled with the guilt trip they’re trying to lay on, of the police being laid off. “With out this tax increase the safety of all is in jeopardy.” Please, what about my HOME! It’s in jeopardy! The responsibility of safety funding should be the responsibility of ALL not just a few (land owners) simply because you know you can tax us and we have to pay, or loose our land in which case you will own it. I know you are against it and feel or know there are other avenues that can be sought out. I believe there are some if not several upper chambers/offices that can be skimmed or merged into other offices therefore eliminating some of the high pay salaries. While you can skim the fat (per say) off the bottom, you can only skim so much before you crumble or weaken the foundation causing it to tumble over.