Don’t put blame on the messenger

The Daily Progress editorial of Oct. 12 (“Negotiation, not threats”) encouraged Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney Denise Lunsford “to work behind the scenes” and “quietly bargain for county [funding] assistance.” 

What would have been the headline on a future editorial if Ms. Lunsford had quietly diminished the commonwealth’s attorney’s office response to crime in our area by secretly choosing some misdemeanors not to prosecute? What vitriol would we read if she had negotiated behind closed doors to reduce the education budget by making a case for tax dollars to be redirected to the commonwealth attorney’s office? 

Ms. Lunsford properly and effectively announced to the Board of Supervisors that the commonwealth attorney’s office will not have an adequate budget to keep the present service available in the future.

The editorial was a case of damning the messenger for an unpopular message. Tax revenues are down. Services will be cut. The public has a right to know and help decide how our limited resources will be used.