Gun Bounty Program: I’ve Got the Skinny on my Earlier Post Questions. By Geniusofdespair

Well what do you know, I got the info I was looking for in my earlier post today (read it), on Gun Bounty Funds. The offices of Mayor Alvarez and County Commission Chair Moss both responded and here it is for you - hot off the blog press. From Marie Bertot, Media Relations Manager, is some very good news about the results of the Gun Bounty Program so far:

"Please note the Gun Bounty Program is not tracked by district. The stats from June 1, 2007, through March 29, 2009 are as follows: Number of Guns recovered is 285 and the number of arrests made is 171."

That is 285 illegal guns off the street! I think those are pretty good stats. In response to Moss's $25,000 (also explained in the earlier post today) Ms. Bule from the Office of the Chair said:

"Regarding the Gun Bounty Program regarding Chairman/Commissioner Moss. After further discussion with my Chief of Staff, Mr. Bannerman, he discovered that you may be confusing the “Gun Bounty Program” with the “District 9 CRIMESTOPPERS Bounty Program”. Commissioner Moss did indeed allocate $25,000 from his discretionary funds toward the District 9 CRIMESTOPPERS Bounty Program which was a program connected to CRIMESTOPPERS “Unsolved Homicides” in District 9. After these homicides were not solved, the funds were returned to his discretionary funds. Only $1,000 were given to the Gun Bounty Program from Commissioner Moss’ discretionary funds to support the Mayor’s Gun Bounty Program."

If they had put "Crime Stopper" in the discretionary fund title, it might have been clearer, whatever, I now know what is going on. BTW, why weren't the crimes solved? Wouldn't the money be spent trying or was the money a reward that didn't have to be paid? I am so loaded with questions, I could drive them crazy. As much as I hate what these two did using the bed tax money for the Marlins stadium, I do think these crime preventative initiatives are good. I think addressing crime is always a good think and they should get some brownie points for that.

Even though I think Rebeca Sosa should not have voted for the stadium, and if I remember correctly, a couple of odious UDB line moves, I still do not include her with the unreformable majority. She is still reformable. Moss is not ALWAYS wrong and neither is the Mayor. You won't agree with them ALL the time. Be satisfied if you get some of what you want, because with the unreformable: You get zip.