Molly Sullivan
The Sacramento Bee
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones spoke up in the public debate to reopen the capital region and California, urging local officials to reopen the economy and let people go back to work in a post to his Facebook page Wednesday.
“It is time,” he said. “It is time to let people out of their houses and responsibly open the economy, to let businesses thrive and employees and former employees get back to work.”
https://www.facebook.com/SheriffScottJones/photos/a.431936350473860/1143708309296657/?type=3&theater
Jones has been critical of some of the statewide decisions during the lockdown, specifically the changes made to the criminal justice system allowing people arrested for misdemeanors and some felonies to be released from county jails.
“It is time to reflect on decisions we have made under the pretext of this pandemic: Such as why we were forced to let over 1,100 inmates out of Sacramento’s COVID-free jail into a community where the law-abiding are still locked down?” Jones said in his Facebook post.
Jones’ statement came days after 32 people were arrested at the state Capitol for continuing to protest the lockdown after law enforcement issued orders to disperse.
The protest was in direct violation of both Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order, designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and a CHP ban on protests on state property, the latter prompted by a crowded demonstration at the Capitol a week ago. Another protest is expected to take place without a permit on Thursday.
Jones said in his post that he was concerned the lockdown would result in lost tax revenue and would negatively affect law enforcement and public safety funding.
“It is time to understand that stay-at-home equals loss of tax revenue, and that equals significant cuts to law enforcement and fire departments next year, including potential public safety layoffs all over California and the nation,” he said.
The Sheriff’s Office currently receives more than $372 million dollars in annual funding from the county, which is 80 percent of all funding allocated for elected officials and more than a third of the entire budget.