Air patrol is not worth the cost

According to the July 29 article “State Patrol has fewer eyes in sky,” the Iowa State Patrol is writing fewer than two citations per hour of flying time.

For that, taxpayers are paying for a plane, the operational costs of that plane, anywhere from two to five patrol cars, the operational costs of those cars, the wages, health care costs and pension costs of an aircraft administrative officer, a pilot officer and anywhere from two to five officers on the ground. I assume there also is a hanger cost for the plane, and for all these costs to taxpayers, the patrol is writing less than two citations per hour? Are you kidding me?!

This is nowhere near being worth the cost. Is it any wonder the state's budget is strained? The number of planes should be reduced and the planes used for medical and other emergencies only.

Jim Cubbage

Lisbon