EDITORIAL: Dose isn't wrong

Whether or not to properly fund the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office should be decided by the people, not behind closed doors. 

Last week, when Commissioner David Dose floated the idea of an override levy to provide key funding to the department, you could HAVE heard a pin drop. But in the days since, the conversation around the SCSO budget has grown louder and more urgent. 

Facing nearly $1 million in proposed cuts, Dose’s suggestion to let the people of Shoshone County vote on the matter is not just reasonable, it’s essential. 

This isn’t an endorsement to pass the levy. Rather, it’s a strong endorsement of a county official advocating for the most basic democratic process: letting the public decide whether we maintain access to the level of service we expect when we call for help. 

There will be passionate voices on both sides of this issue, which is exactly why it belongs on the ballot. If we demand accountability and transparency from our elected officials, we must also be willing to participate in the decisions that determine whether they have the resources to do the jobs we elected them to do. 

As Dose put it: if we’re living in a county where taxes are rising and services are being cut, shouldn’t the public have a say in which services stay and which ones get trimmed? 

It's easy to sympathize with the three Shoshone County commissioners, all of whom campaigned on fiscal responsibility. There was simply no way they could've foreseen how high costs would rise, while also navigating expansive cuts at the state and federal level. 

However, if they are presented with a resolution to place an override levy on the November ballot, rejecting it would be a mistake. 

If public safety is the question, the public should provide the answer.