Story 2

Money Shortage Causes Stir

"We never had problems until we began letting migrants come to this country to work. We need to protect local residents from them," Commissioner Anita Shenuski stated.

Sherburne County commissioner and the sheriff’s department are at odds because of the shortage in money for Sherburne County this year. Shenuski argued with Commission President Anne Chenn about migrant workers. She said, "They are a problem for our law enforcement, our schools, and our healthcare system." Migrant workers will work for a lower salary, they take jobs from the locals, and any of the migrants not working are more likely to raise crime in town.

Sheriff Gus DiCesari said his department needs to replace eight police cruisers and hire five new deputies, yet the county cut police budget. $580 thousand dollars would be needed to meet these demands. He stated that migrant workers are to blame for the needed increase in police and the diminishing of county funds.
Chenn argued that the migrants helped the community because they worked the jobs local residents didn’t want. These people were a benefit to the community, not a nuisance. The county commissioners said they had to use this years budget, $127 million dollars, for increased cost in healthcare for employees, and higher fuel costs. Plus, a new $30 million dollar prison had to be built to alleviate overcrowding. The budget was not to be used as a convenience for the police, but to better the community.

Chann told DeCesari the sheriff’s department would have to make do this year because Sherburne county didn’t have the additional money needed. Commissioners voted 5-2 against the additional $580 thousand for the sheriffs department.