We are getting some help from you in getting our question list ready for candidates who are on the ballot this spring, and most of the interest is on the race for the next Johnson County sheriff.
Here’s some of the questions readers have submitted:
- With such a large percentage of arrested defendants suffering from mental illness and/or addictions, do the candidates plan to offer any kind of meaningful treatment programs or support groups to address these issues (besides what is currently offered)?
- Requests for jail expansion: The citizens are told of a great need for jail expansion for the past decade. Yet, we seem to be able to do with the current jail. What benefits will citizens see with a costly jail expansion? What additional criminals would be jailed should addition beds become available?
- Will you produce a listing of those jailed by crime? How many are jailed for armed robbery, check deception, domestic abuse, child abuse, drug abuses, burglary, underage smoking, child support, unpaid violations? Do you feel the sheriff has a duty to supply citizens this information before asking for additional jail funding?
- At times, even police act inappropriately or break the law. How will you assure the citizens that officers will be treated without favoritism?
And here are some questions being suggested for our national legislators:
- Do you believe the 2nd amendment is fundamental and so may not be limited? (We currently do not allow private citizens to own anti-aircraft guns, mortars or machine guns. Why shouldn’t we move “the line” just a bit to further limit the amount of carnage an individual can do quickly…such as magazine size, muzzle velocity or semi-automatic operation?)
- A large percentage of the populace and elected officials argue that our problems of gun violence stem from problems in the home, how children are raised or changes in our religious culture-at-large. Since these are environmental factors the government can do little about, shouldn’t we then focus on the weapons that get used? (That is, we would never say, “People should just raise their kids better, so we aren’t going to build jails to house offenders.” We build jails to house offenders because we KNOW that everyone isn’t going to “raise their kids right”).
You can have a say too. Send an email to [email protected] with your questions for candidates seeking public office in this year’s election.
Here’s what else we are working on in the Daily Journal newsroom today:
New purpose.
For years, local officials have been discussing Worthsville Road as an east-west corridor to move traffic from Interstate 65 on the east to the future Interstate 69 on the west side. But is that the best plan, since Worthsville Road won’t connect with the new Interstate 69?
Investigation complete.
In January, a plane made an emergency landing in a farm field east of Franklin. The FAA investigation is complete.
Homecoming.
Greenwood grad Megan Overton tried a collegiate softball career far from home, but her heart remained in central Indiana. She’s back in Indiana and a key player on a young IUPUI team. Coach Elisabeth Beirne said this: “We are a young team overall, so she plays an important role in our success. She’s more of a lead-by-example player, but I think a lot of players around central Indiana know Megan and follow her lead.”
