Published August 10, 2008

A new Police Department or Keep the Sheriff's Office?

Voters Need to Study Information and Decide What's Best for Deltona

This election day we will have many important choices on the ballot.  We will choose a new President, choose senators and congressmen, but maybe the choices that will affect us most directly are those affecting local government.

As residents of Deltona we will decide if it is time to start our own police department.

Now you might expect that this letter is to try and convince you to vote the way I plan to vote.  However, that is not what I am going to do.

I am asking that all Deltona voters take the time put emotion aside and make a decision based on what is best for Deltona.

I am asking that all Deltona voters put emotion aside and take the time to study the available information.

There are two reports available to us as voters.  One is a report commissioned by the City of Deltona by an outside consultant.  The other is a report provided for us by the Sheriff of Volusia County.

Please take the time to study these reports.  Examine the numbers.  Question every detail of both reports.  Get out a pen and pencil and do your own calculations. 

Then decide what you want in terms of police protection.  Then determine how you want to get there.

Some will say that police departments are all about protecting live and property and you can’t put a price on those, but this is part of the question you must answer.  The cost of police protection is paid for by you.  How much are you willing to pay, how much more are you willing to pay or would you like to see a decrease.

Please, review the information, study the facts and then make a decision based on what is best for Deltona.

- Doug Horn, Former Vice Mayor of Deltona