New sheriff sees old problem: lack of funding, deputies

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It’s an old problem, but a top priority for new Lane County Sheriff Carl Wilkerson: Find a stable funding source to hire deputies to respond to calls for help in a geographic area roughly the size of Connecticut.

“I don’t think there’s really a way to fix this long term without having the voters’ approval,” Wilkerson said.

Next week, Lane County commissioners will hear recommendations to consider tax options — including a new payroll tax and the creation of special districts with permanent property tax rates — put forward by a task force that’s been studying public safety funding for about a year…

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