Editor, Manteca Bulletin,
Every day there is a new article in the Bulletin about the city’s budget shortfall. So and so needs to take a cut, but don’t you dare cut my favorite service. Police and firefighters are at the heart of the debate because they take the large percentage of the overall budget.

We have to fund certain services, there is no arguing that fact. One of the problems, in my opinion, is that every small city feels they have to have their own police, fire, school, and more. This equates into more administration. Every city has their own administration for these essential services.

I commend Lathrop for looking into using the Sheriff’s Department to cover police services. In Contra Costa County, Contra Costa Fire is a consolidation fire agency that covers most of the county.

I urge cities and their boards to investigate consolidation of services.