they ask your help in searching streets for the gun that was stuck to your forehead, and your missing wallet. Incidentally, yesterday was our 3rd wedding anniversary, and while I went off to buy some buttons, Jason went for his evening walk and was held up five houses down from us. The kids, who did it on a dare and were wearing white!, were caught thanks to a very observant neighbor who called the police before Jason even made it to the phone. Thank you, neighborhood watch! It really does work!
Rather than reform homeowner's insurance, (or fund education or environmental cleanup) our developer-friendly state legislature is trying to lower/eliminate property taxes to help homeowners on fixed incomes and vacation home-owners without homesteader exemptions (which, incidentally bring in lots of money). The missing money cannot be replaced by new taxation and this is creating a crisis in fiscally responsible cities and towns like Jacksonville, where property taxes are our largest source of revenue, $50-$85 million worth. Thusly, the mayor has asked departments to cut 10% of their staff, eliminating public health care, and has instituted a hiring freeze which includes the Sheriff's Office, already low on patrolmen.
This makes neighborhood watches invaluable. I've noticed anytime anything happens in the park across the street, like young kids trying to build a cardboard box camp with a camp fire, or the guy screaming at his cell phone, the police show up in numbers. It is odd to feel people watching from their homes when you walk down the street, but that's the best way, I guess. I do it too but always thought I'm too nosy. We do live near a "home" and the intersection of heavy-traffic roads so odd things and people happen frequently.
I worry about retaliation even though the guy was probably 15 and the detective said he was no thug. I'm nervous to be near the windows at night and well, I never answer the door when I'm alone during the day anyway. I am happy, though, to pay my full property tax.
2 comments:
Yowsa! Any 15 yr old that has the nerve to point a gun at someone is a thug in my book. Glad to hear thing ended well. Maybe you should plan a block picnic this summer....then at least you would know the people watching from their houses ;-) Doing that has really helped in my neighborhood.
A block picnic sounds like a great idea, and we have the perfect park across the street. In the past there have been neighborhood yard sales and Halloween parties too. To thank the neighborhood, our Neighborhood Watch representative/ social coordinator is also calling a meeting at his house. Apparantly, for each meeting you have, the sheriff's office gives you a free permanent Watch sign to put in your choice of location, although no one reads signs in the dark when they're looking for trouble. We were also unaware that the more hookers and suspicious people you call in, the more and more the police will begin to cover that area. Makes sense!
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