Grinch Police Chief stops annual Toy-Food drive by charging excessive fees
- by: Me- a citizen-Mary J. DeForest
- recipient: Rio Rancho Police Chief Robert Boone; Mayor T. Swisstack, City Council
Rio Rancho Police Chief Robert Boone is stopping the next Toy Ride for 2012 through excessive fees that need to be paid to get the permit for the bikers to deliver the food and toys to the food bank.
Negotiations by the Storehouse West Food Pantry director Georgiana Kugle and event organizer Dawn Raia-Troup with the Rio Rancho Police Chief have failed. They notified the news-and now is the time to petition the Rio Rancho city government.
#1-It's immoral for a police department to stop the annual delivery of toys, cash, and over 2,000 lbs of food by the use of excessive traffic control fees.$5,320 was charged this year, compared to a fee of $2,400 in 2010.
The bikers donate almost a third of the food given to a food bank; along with toys and cash.
#2-It's unethical to say that New Mexico State Police and other police agencies are acting illegally by not charging traffic control fees.
#3-Boone justifies his position by saying, "I don't try to evaluate what other departments might look at." The mayor and city council should evaluate their police chief to make sure that he's effectively running his department and department funding.
#4-Other agencies keep their costs down by using on duty officers. Boone should be audited to make sure that he is running a cost effective police department. He says "He's not concerned how other agencies pay for the event." (KRQE.com-12/08/11)
#5- People in Rio Rancho that need to use the Storehouse West Food Pantry rose by 5% this year. It is not logical to stop food donations, when there is a greater need for the food.
#6-Boone told the the organizers that the 6,000 bikers that bring expensive toys, the food, and cash, should pay the police fees. The problem is that the permit needs to be obtained in advance.
#7- Why should people have to pay a government in order to donate to a charity that helps that government?
#8-Is this a new way to hurt the 99%, by stopping people from donating to food banks?
#9- Biker toy runs are welcomed in many states. They bring publicity to the fact that many children would not have holiday toys, and people would go hungry with out food banks.
#10-there was an accident in the 2010 run, that Boone uses for an excuse for his measures. One accident in 19 years on an event that goes through 7 police jurisdictions, and has about 6,000 bikers is actually a good record.
We the undersigned cannot understand the actions of the Police Chief Robert Boone, of the City of Rio Rancho.
It's difficult to understand how Rio Rancho Police Chief Robert Boone appears to be stopping the annual Rio Rancho Toy run after 19 years. 11/20/2011 seems to be the last ride. 6,000 bikers delivered over 2,000 lbs of food-almost a third of your donations, and people in Rio Rancho that need to use the food bank rose by 5%. I'm sure that the bikers bring additional money to city merchants after they deliver food to Westside Food Pantry in Rio Rancho.
The reasons to justify feesthat rose from 2,400 USD in 2010 to 5,320 USD are listed below. While there was an accident in 2010, the Rio Rancho Toy Run has a good safety record-one accident in 19 years, when thousands of people participate and drive through about 7 police jurisdictions. It is not as though the donors of the toy run have accidents every year or in many of the police jurisdictions. The City of Rio Rancho should rethink its position about charging excessive traffic control fees.
# Boone says that the New Mexico State Police and Albuquerque Police Department are acting illegally because they don't charge traffic control fees when the the Annual Rio Rancho Toy Run goes through their jurisdictions. The Rio Ranch Toy Run directly affects citizens of Rio Rancho, and does not directly affect the citizens of Albuquerque.
# When it was pointed out that other police jurisdictions reduce costs by using police officers that were already on duty-reducing over-time pay, Boone was quoted on KRQE as saying, "Quite frankly, I don't try to evaluate what other departments might look at."
The jurisdictions that did charge traffic control fees kept the fees to a modest level by the use of on-duty police officers.
Thank you for considering this serious problem that greatly affects the poor in your city, especially the children. Please also consider how this petition affects the image of your city government. Again- please re-consider how you charge for traffic control, when compared to other police agencies.
Please consider that the Biker Toy Runs are traditions through out America.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Mary J. DeForest, Albuquerque, NM
By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.
Having problems signing this? Let us know.