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Sheriff "Outraged" Over Proposed Budget Changes

Sheriff Enrique "Kiki" Vigil

   Preliminary discussions over public safety budgeting has Doña Ana County Sheriff Enrique “Kiki” Vigil concerned that his office will not receive necessary funding as originally intended when the Board of County Commissioners approved a one-eighth of one percent hold-harmless gross receipts tax in March.

The vote meant a total revenue stream of approximately $12.3 million, of which $4.1 million was to fund pay increases and much-needed equipment for the sheriff’s department.

During a work session of the Doña Ana Board of County Commissioners Tuesday, two budgets were presented – one that included the tax increase and one that didn’t. Both versions reflected a total budget of $20.4 million for the sheriff’s department.

“I’m outraged,” said Sheriff Vigil, who had attended a funeral Tuesday and was not present for the work session. “It was understood that the $4.1 million was additional monies. The way the budget was presented Tuesday is a step backwards from what I perceived as progress by the governing board and this office to ensure the public safety needs of the county are met. As it stands right now, we’re right back where we started.”

The budget increase was earmarked by Sheriff Vigil for pay increases, a new radio communications system and a records management system to replace the antiquated system the sheriff’s office uses now – the same system that is also used by neighboring law enforcement agencies.

“If our records management system crashes,” said Vigil, “we stand to lose over a decade of law enforcement records that are vital to investigations that we are conducting right now, and in the future. We need this upgrade immediately, and we need to know that the money is in the budget to do it.”

Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Major Brent Barlow spoke at the work session in Sheriff Vigil’s absence.

“We need what was promised to us to keep the deputies we have, and attract ones we desperately need,” said Barlow. “Over the last year, we’ve lost over two dozen deputies – some of which were to outside agencies who can pay more. We need parity.”

“I commend Dist. 3 Commissioner Benjamin Rawson,” said Vigil, alluding to comments made by Rawson during the work session that the budget appears to supplant the $4.1 million that would come from the hold harmless GRT. “He knows what he voted for, along with Dist. 5 Commissioner Leticia Benavidez and Dist. 2 Commissioner Dr. David Garcia, and the way the budget was presented Tuesdaydid not reflect the will of the board in March. It is my hope that we can resolve this issue before a final budget is voted on, and that the sheriff’s department will be invited to contribute to that conversation.”

 

Information from Dona Ana County Sheriff's Department