LETTER: For my family's well-being, I'm voting yes for Gresham's safety levy

I work multiple jobs to make ends meet. My wife and I have lived in Gresham our entire married life. We have watched Gresham grow, new homes surround us, and I can’t wait to take our new grandchild to one of our many parks.

But as hard as I work and as long as I have lived here, I want to feel confident that my grandchild will have the same safe experiences I have had. That is not the case right now. The fact that there are only eight sworn patrol officers per shift is a big concern. Gresham is a big footprint. How can we be protected with so few? The fire department needs a new vehicle so they can respond to emergencies faster. What if the need is my grandchild?

My priorities are to my family. That means I will continue to work hard to make ends meet. It also means I will be supporting the fire and police levy. The dollar amount is small compared to what it will buy in safety protection and fire responses. My family is worth it. I’ll be voting yes on the levy.

Ed Chin, Gresham