Jarred Simmons: Find more money for law enforcement

Re “3 arrested in Merced killing” (Page 3A, Oct. 22): Sheriff Vern Warnke described the Maple Street shootings (“1 killed, 2 wounded in apparent Merced gunfight,” mercedsunstar.com, Oct. 20) like the OK Corral. Didn’t that occur in a place called Tombstone? With Merced County’s private growth sector stagnant over the last 20 years, one would have to ask if our elected leaders are really serious about fostering a diverse economy beyond agriculture and providing sanctuary status as an economic driver.

With UC Merced in its 10th year, why do we, as a community, want to jeopardize growth and have county and city leaders seek counterproductive grants for the sake of budget revenue leading to what Eastern Merced County looks like today with its crime and murder rates?

If county leadership wants to continue to grow, our current vision of an ag-based, low-wage, low-skilled economy supported by those seeking sanctuary must change. One would think the public should demand an increase in the budgets of Sheriff Vern Warnke and District Attorney Larry Morris and the Superior Court to counteract this Tombstone vision of Merced County.

This story was originally published October 26, 2015 at 1:21 PM with the headline "Jarred Simmons: Find more money for law enforcement."