Posted by susan smith, a resident of the Woodside: other neighborhood, on May 23, 2012 at 3:54 pm

This is outrageous. The county is operating at a deficit, service3sare being reduced, it costs a fortune to become a Supervisor and now we are buying an airplane? For what? Shame on this ridiculous expenditures. Crazy.

Posted by Hmmm, a resident of another community, on May 23, 2012 at 4:14 pm

Susan, you know that the war on drugs must be funded & defended on every possible level & having a plane is one of those levels. Of course, no one can criticize its use for search & rescue like they can for the war on drugs. Wonder if the sheriff will make any side trips to bordellos? Wonder if those monies could be used for something else in law enforcement that is of better use? We don't know, because no other options have been reported & most of us don't even know how the seized money allocation works.

Posted by confict of interest, a member of the James Flood Magnet School community, on May 23, 2012 at 5:42 pm

Using seized money to buy toys.

No possible conflict there.

Can't imagine there will be any motivation to bend the rules to seiaze more.

"SC County third highest for exonerated convicts"

oh

Posted by Michael G. Stogner, a resident of another community, on May 23, 2012 at 6:32 pm

This is so typical of how we do things in San Mateo County.

Was there any public discussion about this money and where it might be able to be used?

Was there any discussion to weigh the pros and cons of a fixed wing aircraft vs. a Helicopter.

How many residents even knew our Sheriff Office had an airplane? I didn't, and I been to several local air shows with no SMC aircraft.

Posted by Hmmm, a resident of another community, on May 23, 2012 at 7:29 pm

Mr. Stogner - do you know what the guidelines might be regarding the allocation of seized funds? My limited understanding is that the money "belongs" to the seizing agency post-adjudication. But I don't know if that's a law or how it works. Maybe Menlo Voter knows & will weigh in.

I did know that the S.O. had a plane - but I never thought of it as belonging to the sheriff, but to the agency, used largely by their NTF (which used to sell shirts & sweatshirts saying "Bootin' Bad Boys, which I thought was funny - before the current sheriff was in power). For all I know, the funds raised by their sale was used to fuel the plane!

Posted by Menlo Voter, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on May 23, 2012 at 7:52 pm

Yawn. Happens all the time. This has been going on since the 80's when the laws were created to seize money and property supposedly earned by the sale of drugs. How do you think SJPD and other agencies pay for their helicopters?

Posted by Yawn, a resident of the Atherton: West of Alameda neighborhood, on May 23, 2012 at 11:50 pm

How do you people think that the sheriff is supposed to get to an from Las Vegas!