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A Message from Jane

This past week started off with very exciting news. As you might have read in the Detroit News or the Oakland Press, the Oakland County Deputy Sheriff's Association endorsed me as their candidate for Sheriff. This adds the Oakland County Deputy Sheriff's Association to a long and distinguished list of endorsements. What sets this endorsement apart from the others is the fact that the members of the Deputy Sheriff's Association are the employees of the current Sheriff.

The members of the Oakland County Deputy Sheriff's Association have said loud and clear, ENOUGH! It's time for a change. The members are looking for, and deserve, actual leadership. The membership and taxpayers alike deserve (and pay for) an organization that is CEO driven. Article XVII, Section 4 of the Michigan Constitution provides for the establishment of the Office of Sheriff. By Constitution and Statute, the responsibilities of the Sheriff are numerous. However, neither in Constitution nor Statute, will anyone find that one of those duties is abdicating one's responsibilities to subordinates.

In these tough economic times, taxpayers pay for and expect an administrator whose focus it is to run the organization. An organization of over 1,200 employees with an annual budget of approximately $118 million requires the leadership of a full time Sheriff, not a Sheriff who wants to be a United States Senator one election cycle and Governor the next. One only has to look as far as the recent Oakland Press article (October 4th, 2008) which stated "Bouchard was unavailable for comment." How many times have we seen the current Sheriff posing with drugs and weapons from a drug bust? However, when the questions get tough, Bouchard is unavailable for comment!

More times than not, the tough questions fall to the Undersheriff. The Undersheriff is an appointed position made by the Sheriff. If you read the article, the Undersheriff made such statements such as, "that allegation 'is such a bunch of crap'", referencing that the U.S. Senate is the only other political office that the current Sheriff has sought. Evidently, the Undersheriff has not made himself aware of the Lansing State Journal Article that stated:

So the sheriff was asked, "You want to be governor?"
Bouchard said he did.
And off we go into the 2010 Michigan race for governor.
Lansing State Journal, June 29th, 2007

Or the article written in RightMichigan:

He's already been to the Upper Peninsula and west Michigan to make a footprint. And he's had meetings with top party leaders and former John Engler crony Richard McLellan.
RightMichigan, May 28th, 2008

This brings me full circle back to my original point. In these tough economic times, taxpayers pay for and expect an administrator whose focus it is to run the organization. I don't think any of us can fault one for having goals and ambitions in life. However, I strongly believe that we have to draw the line when those goals and ambitions are at the expense of those who pay our salaries.

I look forward to your e-mails and your continued support. Please pass on to your friends and family that I would appreciate their support in this race.

Thank you,

Jane Boudreau