Broome County Sheriff David Harder has crafted a masterstroke against the ever-whining “it’s everyone else’s fault” County Executive Barbara Fiala. In what appears to me to be “the nuclear option,” Harder called in the New York State Commission of Corrections to do a review of staffing levels at the county jail. By doing so, he set into action a series of events that will now force Fiala and the County Legislature to hire 21 new corrections officers for the Broome County jail. This means, according to the liberal Press & Sun-Bulletin, that another $1.4 million will need to be tacked on to next year’s budget, making a tax increase go from 4.9 to 8 percent. But of course the P&SB has gotten it wrong–again.

First, let’s set the record straight. For years, Sheriff Harder has gone hat-in-hand to the County Executive and County Legislature telling them he needed more manpower for the jail. And for years they have denied him. Since he operates a public institution that is regulated by strict state laws mandating how many officers must be on hand to run the place, he had no option but to use overtime. And a lot of it. The yearly budget has allowed some overtime, but often he would run over–way over the alloted budget. Fiala has been using this issue to try and smear Harder, I’m assuming because she’s a Democrat and he’s a Republican.

Harder finally had enough. He called in the big dogs (Commission of Corrections), and they have the full weight of New York State behind them. Apparently they can make Broome County hire these officers over an 18-month period to correct the situation. I’m a little concerned when the New York State comes in and orders us around, especially when they mandate we spend money, but if I were in Dave Harder’s shoes, I would have done the same thing. He had no choice.

So now, Ms. Fiala and the Legislators have to find some money. The P&SB incorrectly reports we will have to find the full $1.4 million extra. Actually, there’s already $1 million budgeted for overtime at the jail right now. If the overtime is eliminated, that means we only have to find another $400,000. True leaders would suck it up and find it without raising taxes. But then, we don’t seem to have true leaders in our county government. Broome taxpayers–be prepared for yet another tax increase by your Democrat county government.

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