In Oregon, A Struggling County Just Shut Down Its Last Public Library
June 7, 2017 1:28 PM Subscribe
On May 31, the last public library in Oregon's Douglas County closed and locked the doors indefinitely.
In November, voters rejected a tax measure – which would have cost the median home in the county a little less than $6 a month – to keep the libraries open. Smaller library branches shut down throughout the spring.
This is the latest in a series of cuts to government services in the county fueled by residents who reject all taxes on principle. The sheriff's department no longer answers emergency calls 24 hours a day, and the county clerk is concerned about the county's ability to conduct elections.
But, hey, at least their taxes didn't go up, right? And, that's what really matters.
America: Cutting off its nose (and ears and lips and gouging-out its eyes) to spite its face.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:49 PM on June 7, 2017 [23 favorites]
America: Cutting off its nose (and ears and lips and gouging-out its eyes) to spite its face.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:49 PM on June 7, 2017 [23 favorites]
Retirees who came in recent years for the low housing costs or the conservative political culture have become a major voting bloc.
In other words, people who once benefited from the same types of tax-funded public services (libraries, schools, etc) they have now denied others. Nice.
posted by the return of the thin white sock at 1:52 PM on June 7, 2017 [60 favorites]
In other words, people who once benefited from the same types of tax-funded public services (libraries, schools, etc) they have now denied others. Nice.
posted by the return of the thin white sock at 1:52 PM on June 7, 2017 [60 favorites]
Well, I hope they enjoy their dying town that no one else wants to move to from now on. I suspect that is a feature rather than a bug.
posted by soren_lorensen at 1:53 PM on June 7, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by soren_lorensen at 1:53 PM on June 7, 2017 [6 favorites]
Oregonian here. Douglas County sucked the teat of Federal logging revenues for many years and had some of the lowest tax bases in the state. When the Feds stop cutting trees the revenues dried up. And now they still want the low tax bases. Shrug...
posted by jgaiser at 1:54 PM on June 7, 2017 [23 favorites]
posted by jgaiser at 1:54 PM on June 7, 2017 [23 favorites]
“This is our home,” Heilman said. “But who the fuck wants to live in a place that can’t retain a professional class of workers, hurls vile invective at the president in a time of tragedy, and closes down its libraries?”Many American Conservatives, I guess.
posted by curiousgene at 1:56 PM on June 7, 2017 [26 favorites]
Erik Loomis at Lawyers, Guns and Money wrote about Douglas County and anti-government conservatives :
Conservative Voters Aren’t Monocausal
Conservative Voters Aren’t Monocausal
The majority of taxes in these counties came from the Oregon and California Land Grant lands for many decades. The O&C was a failed railroad grant through the most valuable timber lands in Oregon that was reacquired by the government and leased to timber companies. Douglas County became the nation’s timber capital based on these lands. The deal was that the timber companies would pay taxes on the timber they cut and a big chunk of that went into the county larder. That meant that schools and roads and police were paid for with little to no money from the citizenry, creating a no-tax culture. So in the 1980s, when the timber industry declined (for many reasons, not just owl protection), not only did unemployment rise, but so did the need to tax the populace for this first time. This all added significantly to the overall atmosphere of resentment.posted by the man of twists and turns at 1:58 PM on June 7, 2017 [25 favorites]
I've never understood how this fits into their narrative that Government Can't Do Anything. "Six bucks a month for a public library--what a ripoff! I'm taking MY six bucks to the Free Market!" But I guess who reads, anyway...
posted by Sing Or Swim at 2:05 PM on June 7, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by Sing Or Swim at 2:05 PM on June 7, 2017 [6 favorites]
Retirees are advised to move to places like that because they are living on almost nothing. My aunt moved to No****where Tennessee and into a mobile home with her Baptist preacher husband for that reason. She had to take in two of her brothers (including my ne'er-do-well father and his slightly loopy eldest brother who lived in a RV on their property) and ate at the hospital cafeteria nearby when they wanted a treat. It's easy to blame people like that for voting for lower taxes but remember they are only part of the chain.
posted by Peach at 2:05 PM on June 7, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by Peach at 2:05 PM on June 7, 2017 [8 favorites]
First it was Dutch Elm disease, now Americans are being raved by good old-fashioned Dutch Disease.
posted by GuyZero at 2:07 PM on June 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by GuyZero at 2:07 PM on June 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
the county clerk is concerned about the county's ability to conduct elections.
I'll do it. Of course, I'll just need it worth my investment, so you'll need to sign this 25 year contract giving me the exclusive right to run elections in the county for a nominal fee. I'll supply the unverifiable electronic voting machines for you to use, and I'll do the tabulating as well, no additional fee.
Holy cow, it looks like a Democratic sweep! What are the odds?!
posted by leotrotsky at 2:08 PM on June 7, 2017 [14 favorites]
I'll do it. Of course, I'll just need it worth my investment, so you'll need to sign this 25 year contract giving me the exclusive right to run elections in the county for a nominal fee. I'll supply the unverifiable electronic voting machines for you to use, and I'll do the tabulating as well, no additional fee.
Holy cow, it looks like a Democratic sweep! What are the odds?!
posted by leotrotsky at 2:08 PM on June 7, 2017 [14 favorites]
My girlfriend and her daughter are in part moving up here to Portland because of bullshit like this.
Which of course leaves behind voters who don't use the library in the first place.
posted by mrzarquon at 2:10 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Which of course leaves behind voters who don't use the library in the first place.
posted by mrzarquon at 2:10 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
the county clerk is concerned about the county's ability to conduct elections.
The US Federal Government needs to nationalize the US electoral system. Local governments could no longer be trusted to run election fairly and now it seems like they can't even run them at all.
There is no amount of Russian hacking that could undermine US democracy any more than this.
posted by GuyZero at 2:12 PM on June 7, 2017 [12 favorites]
The US Federal Government needs to nationalize the US electoral system. Local governments could no longer be trusted to run election fairly and now it seems like they can't even run them at all.
There is no amount of Russian hacking that could undermine US democracy any more than this.
posted by GuyZero at 2:12 PM on June 7, 2017 [12 favorites]
residents who reject all taxes on principle
Then the only thing that unites them is the right to shoot each other in the face.
posted by ouke at 2:13 PM on June 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
Then the only thing that unites them is the right to shoot each other in the face.
posted by ouke at 2:13 PM on June 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
> They stayed because they had heart attacks at 11:30 PM and 911's voicemail was full.
You're not even kidding: "If a crime is reported after midnight there, best not hold your breath for a response, since cuts to the sheriff’s budget have meant the end of round-the-clock staffing."
These people would literally rather reduce their personal safety than pay taxes. Of course, I guess you can buy a bunch of guns with all that money you would have wasted on taxes.
posted by The Card Cheat at 2:15 PM on June 7, 2017 [8 favorites]
You're not even kidding: "If a crime is reported after midnight there, best not hold your breath for a response, since cuts to the sheriff’s budget have meant the end of round-the-clock staffing."
These people would literally rather reduce their personal safety than pay taxes. Of course, I guess you can buy a bunch of guns with all that money you would have wasted on taxes.
posted by The Card Cheat at 2:15 PM on June 7, 2017 [8 favorites]
The US Federal Government needs to nationalize the US electoral system.
...and then the public education system. Funding should not be dependent on your local property taxes.
posted by leotrotsky at 2:21 PM on June 7, 2017 [29 favorites]
...and then the public education system. Funding should not be dependent on your local property taxes.
posted by leotrotsky at 2:21 PM on June 7, 2017 [29 favorites]
There are more to libraries than just books. Kids activities, computers, job search help are a few services I can think of off the top of my head.
posted by HakaiMagazine at 2:25 PM on June 7, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by HakaiMagazine at 2:25 PM on June 7, 2017 [7 favorites]
There are more to libraries than just books.
Retired people.
Kids activities
Retired people.
computers
Retired people (who only use ipads afaik)
job search help
Retired people.
This whole "python swallowing a pig" issue of US demographics is only going to get uglier.
posted by GuyZero at 2:29 PM on June 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
Retired people.
Kids activities
Retired people.
computers
Retired people (who only use ipads afaik)
job search help
Retired people.
This whole "python swallowing a pig" issue of US demographics is only going to get uglier.
posted by GuyZero at 2:29 PM on June 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
That poor python's got TWO big demographic carcasses working through its gullet.
posted by notyou at 2:32 PM on June 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by notyou at 2:32 PM on June 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Galt's Gultch Acres - all the roughage you can stomach.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 2:35 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 2:35 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Holy shit, this is insane.
No 24 hour sheriff?
How would that impact tourism? Roseburg is approximately the halfway point between Vancouver and The Bay area, a natural place to stop for the evening, I sure as hell will never stay in a town without a full compliment of 24 hour emergency services. Even if only to sleep in a dodgy roadside motel. Hell, especially in a dodgy roadside motel.
posted by Keith Talent at 2:45 PM on June 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
No 24 hour sheriff?
How would that impact tourism? Roseburg is approximately the halfway point between Vancouver and The Bay area, a natural place to stop for the evening, I sure as hell will never stay in a town without a full compliment of 24 hour emergency services. Even if only to sleep in a dodgy roadside motel. Hell, especially in a dodgy roadside motel.
posted by Keith Talent at 2:45 PM on June 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
Jerry Wyatt, 66, a sales manager and lifelong resident of the Roseburg area, said conservatives like him had seen the truth that government often operated for its own benefit, not the people’s.
The sooner that people like this start dying, the better for everyone else. I'm glad to see their own foolishness is helping them along that path, but disappointed that my own fate is tied to theirs.
posted by codacorolla at 2:48 PM on June 7, 2017 [27 favorites]
The sooner that people like this start dying, the better for everyone else. I'm glad to see their own foolishness is helping them along that path, but disappointed that my own fate is tied to theirs.
posted by codacorolla at 2:48 PM on June 7, 2017 [27 favorites]
Douglas County, which is roughly the size of Connecticut
That's important. There's a wealthy town near me which refuses to join the library system; people there are notorious for driving the few miles to a nearby public library and using those resources, instead. But that's not going to be an option for the residents of Douglas County, for the most part.
posted by The corpse in the library at 2:59 PM on June 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
That's important. There's a wealthy town near me which refuses to join the library system; people there are notorious for driving the few miles to a nearby public library and using those resources, instead. But that's not going to be an option for the residents of Douglas County, for the most part.
posted by The corpse in the library at 2:59 PM on June 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
When you have no law enforcement after business hours and not enough money to run a fair election, the state needs to step in. I did find it interesting that there was very little mention in either article of the schools in the area and what funding issues, if any, they have had. Schools are merely listed as things that are funded by property taxes with no further information about how they are affected.
posted by soelo at 2:59 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by soelo at 2:59 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Hmmm, I think if you have no law enforcement after business hours, some other, possibly more lucrative type of enforcement needs to move in..... lemme ready my bad-guy sneer and rustle me up a gang. Also a horse, always wanted a mounted gang of ne'er-do-wells....
posted by Gyre,Gimble,Wabe, Esq. at 3:04 PM on June 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Gyre,Gimble,Wabe, Esq. at 3:04 PM on June 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
I feel horrible for the people who are affected by this and I'm fairly strongly pro-tax, but I also have an intense morbid curiosity about what will actually happen when they are unable to fund a government. That idea in the article about a government of unelected nonprofits, private companies, and volunteers sounds like a million constitutional violations waiting to happen. The options I can think of would be either to dissolve the county and have the state administer it like unincorporated land or to have their neighboring counties annex it piecemeal.
posted by mattamatic at 3:04 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by mattamatic at 3:04 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Evidently some of the places in the county have reopened their libraries without county support or paid staff. No mention of the sheriff, though.
posted by Dr. Grue at 3:33 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Dr. Grue at 3:33 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
well, ya get what ya pay for.
posted by Grimp0teuthis at 3:36 PM on June 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Grimp0teuthis at 3:36 PM on June 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Evidently some of the places in the county have reopened their libraries without county support or paid staff. No mention of the sheriff, though.Well, they could go with the model they used for the library and raise a posse. I bet that would end well!
The library thing sounds like it would work as a stop-gap for a month or two, but at some point it's going to stop working. For instance, what are they going to do when they need to replace books and buy new ones? At that point, I wonder if they'll shut the thing down or rethink the lack of funding.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 4:07 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Sounds like a really perverse experiment in SimCity.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:32 PM on June 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:32 PM on June 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
well, ya get what ya pay for.
Several years ago we lived in a small town that had a road maintenance levy up for renewal (Keep in mind that it was a renewal - not a new tax). There was a small but very vocal anti-levy force led by the local anti-government conservative nutjob. The levy failed and the city said that all services would be severely curtailed and they laid off many workers.
That autumn, curbside leaf collection ended. Many people still raked/blew their piles of leaves into the street, where they sat composting for months. Citizens complained; City apologized but reminded them that leaf collection costs money and they have much less now thanks to the failed levy.
That winter, only the main thoroughfares (basically two streets) were plowed/salted after snows. Citizens complained; City apologized but reminded them that plowing/salting roads costs money and they have much less now thanks to the failed levy.
That spring, many potholes in the streets were not filled. And remember those piles of composting leaves in the streets? They ended up clogging storm drains, which during major showers, causing flooded roads. Citizens complained; City apologized but reminded them that filling potholes and cleaning storm drains costs money and they have much less now thanks to the failed levy.
A new road maintenance levy went back on the ballot the following Fall. It passed by a huge margin, despite it being 1/2-mill higher than the renewal that failed the year previous.
posted by zakur at 4:40 PM on June 7, 2017 [76 favorites]
Several years ago we lived in a small town that had a road maintenance levy up for renewal (Keep in mind that it was a renewal - not a new tax). There was a small but very vocal anti-levy force led by the local anti-government conservative nutjob. The levy failed and the city said that all services would be severely curtailed and they laid off many workers.
That autumn, curbside leaf collection ended. Many people still raked/blew their piles of leaves into the street, where they sat composting for months. Citizens complained; City apologized but reminded them that leaf collection costs money and they have much less now thanks to the failed levy.
That winter, only the main thoroughfares (basically two streets) were plowed/salted after snows. Citizens complained; City apologized but reminded them that plowing/salting roads costs money and they have much less now thanks to the failed levy.
That spring, many potholes in the streets were not filled. And remember those piles of composting leaves in the streets? They ended up clogging storm drains, which during major showers, causing flooded roads. Citizens complained; City apologized but reminded them that filling potholes and cleaning storm drains costs money and they have much less now thanks to the failed levy.
A new road maintenance levy went back on the ballot the following Fall. It passed by a huge margin, despite it being 1/2-mill higher than the renewal that failed the year previous.
posted by zakur at 4:40 PM on June 7, 2017 [76 favorites]
Holy shit, this is insane.
No 24 hour sheriff?
How would that impact tourism?
Hmm, I dunno...to me it sounds like a great place to throw an arson festival.
posted by sexyrobot at 4:49 PM on June 7, 2017 [9 favorites]
No 24 hour sheriff?
How would that impact tourism?
Hmm, I dunno...to me it sounds like a great place to throw an arson festival.
posted by sexyrobot at 4:49 PM on June 7, 2017 [9 favorites]
zakur, that's exactly the kind of brinksmanship I can get behind. Good for them!
posted by stellaluna at 5:01 PM on June 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by stellaluna at 5:01 PM on June 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
sexyrobot: "Hmm, I dunno...to me it sounds like a great place to throw an arson festival."
My first thought was a cat burglary and bank heist conference.
posted by mhum at 5:37 PM on June 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
My first thought was a cat burglary and bank heist conference.
posted by mhum at 5:37 PM on June 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
Is this political Darwinism?
posted by pashdown at 5:58 PM on June 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by pashdown at 5:58 PM on June 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Jerry Wyatt, 66, a sales manager and lifelong resident of the Roseburg area, said conservatives like him had seen the truth that government often operated for its own benefit, not the people’s. Like most people here, Mr. Wyatt is a strong supporter of Mr. Trump
So...a Trump fan is upset that government seems to run like a business?
posted by Fish, fish, are you doing your duty? at 6:01 PM on June 7, 2017 [16 favorites]
So...a Trump fan is upset that government seems to run like a business?
posted by Fish, fish, are you doing your duty? at 6:01 PM on June 7, 2017 [16 favorites]
Sounds like a great place to set up the home office for a major criminal enterprise.
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:08 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:08 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Sounds like a great place to set up the home office for a major criminal enterprise.
I think that was the plot of at least one, if not two, Jack Reacher novels.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:43 PM on June 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
I think that was the plot of at least one, if not two, Jack Reacher novels.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:43 PM on June 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
Retirees who came in recent years for the low housing costs or the conservative political culture have become a major voting bloc.
Also I do believe these are well off retirees hoping for low taxes to protect their investments. Low income retirees are probably born there or may have moved there when there was government services and now wished they hadn't.
posted by smudgedlens at 8:50 PM on June 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
Also I do believe these are well off retirees hoping for low taxes to protect their investments. Low income retirees are probably born there or may have moved there when there was government services and now wished they hadn't.
posted by smudgedlens at 8:50 PM on June 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
I'm on the East Coast but over the years have travelled through all 36 counties in Oregon. When I saw the headline I assumed it referred to a lonely place like Wallowa County way up in the NE part of the state, which basically only has two roads running through it, and barely 7,000 people. Hard to believe it's Douglas, 100,000+ people along I-5, 5th largest county in the state, with that kind of backward thinking.
posted by LeLiLo at 9:49 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by LeLiLo at 9:49 PM on June 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
According to nearly everyone in a position of authority who has anything to say on the subject, lack of taxes are the one and only way to bring in business, industry, and jobs. All we have to do is sit back and watch the private enterprise and skilled workers at 100% employment come flooding in like blood from an elevator in the Overlook Hotel.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:59 PM on June 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:59 PM on June 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
I'm beginning to conflate "anti-tax" and "anti-civilization" in my mind. Tell me I'm wrong!
posted by Harald74 at 12:29 AM on June 8, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by Harald74 at 12:29 AM on June 8, 2017 [8 favorites]
Surely anti-society, at least.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:27 AM on June 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by lmfsilva at 6:27 AM on June 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Also I do believe these are well off retirees hoping for low taxes to protect their investments. Low income retirees are probably born there or may have moved there when there was government services and now wished they hadn't.
Seeing the actual demographic numbers would be illuminating, but my guess is that these are retirees much lower on the wealth scale. The rich go to nicer places (generally with better services and amenities) like Sun Valley or Bend, but a low-cost place like Douglas County is going to be attractive to someone on a fixed income or with just moderate savings. The irony is always how many of the people supporting huge tax cuts having been public sector workers, or otherwise reliant on public services, but that's a several-decade-old phenomenon at this point and doesn't seem to be changing.
If rich retirees were moving there, you'd be seeing a bunch of B&Bs and farm-to-table restaurants opening, and articles in Sunset and the New York Times about people from Sacramento or Mercer Island taking early retirement from their stressful tech sector jobs, moving to the small town, and restoring an old barn while finding meaning in growing artisanal herbs or starting a winery.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:46 AM on June 8, 2017 [7 favorites]
Seeing the actual demographic numbers would be illuminating, but my guess is that these are retirees much lower on the wealth scale. The rich go to nicer places (generally with better services and amenities) like Sun Valley or Bend, but a low-cost place like Douglas County is going to be attractive to someone on a fixed income or with just moderate savings. The irony is always how many of the people supporting huge tax cuts having been public sector workers, or otherwise reliant on public services, but that's a several-decade-old phenomenon at this point and doesn't seem to be changing.
If rich retirees were moving there, you'd be seeing a bunch of B&Bs and farm-to-table restaurants opening, and articles in Sunset and the New York Times about people from Sacramento or Mercer Island taking early retirement from their stressful tech sector jobs, moving to the small town, and restoring an old barn while finding meaning in growing artisanal herbs or starting a winery.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:46 AM on June 8, 2017 [7 favorites]
"either to dissolve the county and have the state administer it like unincorporated land"
That seems like what would happen west of the Mississippi and north of the Carolinas, but now I'm wondering--there's got to be some historical precedent here. Anyone know of an example of this sort of thing happening, i.e., counties being un-incorporated?
posted by aspersioncast at 8:56 AM on June 8, 2017
That seems like what would happen west of the Mississippi and north of the Carolinas, but now I'm wondering--there's got to be some historical precedent here. Anyone know of an example of this sort of thing happening, i.e., counties being un-incorporated?
posted by aspersioncast at 8:56 AM on June 8, 2017
Sure, but SimCity gives you a warning, in all caps:
YOU CAN'T CUT BACK FUNDING! YOU WILL REGRET THIS!
which generally makes any player think again about cutting funding.
Many years ago, I did this.
posted by lmfsilva at 11:23 AM on June 8, 2017
YOU CAN'T CUT BACK FUNDING! YOU WILL REGRET THIS!
which generally makes any player think again about cutting funding.
Many years ago, I did this.
posted by lmfsilva at 11:23 AM on June 8, 2017
These people would literally rather reduce their personal safety than pay taxes.
This one has the easiest of easy answers: they aren't planning on having an accident.
posted by Cosine at 11:48 AM on June 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
This one has the easiest of easy answers: they aren't planning on having an accident.
posted by Cosine at 11:48 AM on June 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
zakur: the one consistent thing I seem to see in conservatives is a complete inability to consider anything that they haven't experienced first hand.
posted by Cosine at 11:49 AM on June 8, 2017 [11 favorites]
posted by Cosine at 11:49 AM on June 8, 2017 [11 favorites]
Well, there was also that "when I was on food stamps, the government didn't help me" guy.
A lot of them just think things that are for their benefit are the basic necessities for civilized life, and the rest are all handouts. Even here it's the same shit.
posted by lmfsilva at 12:12 PM on June 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
A lot of them just think things that are for their benefit are the basic necessities for civilized life, and the rest are all handouts. Even here it's the same shit.
posted by lmfsilva at 12:12 PM on June 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
zakur: the one consistent thing I seem to see in conservatives is a complete inability to consider anything that they haven't experienced first hand.
Also, a lot of the ones I know personally are strong believers in the Just World Hypothesis. If something horrible happens to someone, the mental gymnastics they will do to blame the victim would put Simone Biles to shame.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 12:15 PM on June 8, 2017 [4 favorites]
Also, a lot of the ones I know personally are strong believers in the Just World Hypothesis. If something horrible happens to someone, the mental gymnastics they will do to blame the victim would put Simone Biles to shame.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 12:15 PM on June 8, 2017 [4 favorites]
Sounds like a great place to set up the home office for a major criminal enterprise.
It's nice to know when to time your looting.
posted by leotrotsky at 8:33 AM on June 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
It's nice to know when to time your looting.
posted by leotrotsky at 8:33 AM on June 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
I do wonder how much criminal tourism is going to take place. No cops after midnight? That's more than enough time for several home invasion robberies, a bank job or three and getting out of the county before the Sheriff comes back on duty.
Anyone have a link to their crime rate? Or did they cut funding for collecting that data too?
posted by sotonohito at 8:34 AM on June 9, 2017
Anyone have a link to their crime rate? Or did they cut funding for collecting that data too?
posted by sotonohito at 8:34 AM on June 9, 2017
Far more likely they'll set up their own militia , and shoot some poor bastard who lost the key.
Or maybe we'll finally see the Libertarian Police Force.
posted by lmfsilva at 9:21 AM on June 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Or maybe we'll finally see the Libertarian Police Force.
posted by lmfsilva at 9:21 AM on June 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
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They came for the low cost of living and conservative political climate. They stayed because they had heart attacks at 11:30 PM and 911's voicemail was full.
posted by griphus at 1:46 PM on June 7, 2017 [42 favorites]