Good for Jim Pacheco. It is indefensible for John Pedrozo to vote in favor of eliminating law enforcement jobs while creating a public affairs position that will cost taxpayers more than $100,000 a year. According to Pedrozo, county CEO James Brown explained this expenditure by saying that the public affairs officer will provide "better outreach for the county." We need less outreach from the county, especially when they are reaching into our pockets for frivolities such as public relations spinmeisters! Hub Walsh understood that and voted against it. Why can't Pedrozo?

Brown defends the PR job by saying that it's needed to communicate with other elected officials and the community. Remind me, again, what our elected supervisors do to earn their salaries. Isn't that a large part of their job? If they can't handle the responsibilities, let's put people in who can.

Merced County is one of the most economically stressed counties in the U.S. This will not change as long as our government officials make irresponsible decisions like creating a costly position to provide a service for which taxpayers already spend more than $750,000.

We need to make a change for the better. We need Jim Pacheco.

KENNA CAMPBELL

Atwater