Dear Editor,
In response to the editorial requesting certain governmental
agencies to post their budgets online … I noted that you included
the California Highway Patrol on your list of agencies that do
not.
I noted this on your
”
Budgets Online
”
link yesterday and brought this to the attention of one of your
staff by e-mailing them last night.
Dear Editor,
In response to the editorial requesting certain governmental agencies to post their budgets online … I noted that you included the California Highway Patrol on your list of agencies that do not.
I noted this on your “Budgets Online” link yesterday and brought this to the attention of one of your staff by e-mailing them last night. He even replied to me this morning with an indication that this would be taken care of.
As a uniformed member of the California Highway Patrol, I’m a bit taken aback that my information was ignored before you published an editorial which subtly indicates that there is some unwillingness to disclose budgetary information to the public when that information has been available on the Web for several years in a row, and after someone pointed it out to you before the editorial was published.
I found this information in about three clicks. It was very easy to get to! How is it that you couldn’t do this before making disparaging statements in an editorial.
I don’t live in Gilroy anymore – used to, but can’t afford the cost of living there even though I’ve been employed by the CHP for more than 11 years. I was saddened to see the generally negative tact the Gilroy Dispatch has taken towards local public servants. Many public safety personnel work hard to make Gilroy a better place. It is a bit demoralizing to see the local media failing to recognize that.
Please get your information correct before you publish! The budget for the CHP was easy to find. No one is keeping any secrets here.
Rick Thoma
Editor’s note: We’ve fixed the link for the “Budgets Online” button at www.gilroydispatch.com and appreciate Mr. Thoma’s heads up.
