Merry Christmas, Las Animas Sheriff’s deputies. You might not get paid for the last half of this month. At least, that’s according to reports coming out of Las Animas County where Sheriff Jim Casias’ office spent $12,227 more than the Las Animas County Commissioners permitted the office to spend. Ooops. The KRDO report cites a memo sent out from County Administrator Leeann Fabec.

From the memo:

“County Administrator Leeann Fabec sent a memo to Sheriff’s Office employees on Tuesday, stating that the county would not pay for any costs incurred by the Sheriff’s Office after Dec. 15. The memo states that the Sheriff’s Office spent $12,227 more money than it had been allotted by the Board of Commissioners, as of Dec. 15.

“In addition, the memo states that commissioners will meet on December 29 “to consider a resolution transferring $12,227.00 from the Commissioner’s 2015 appropriation to the Sheriff’s Office to cover bills and payroll paid through 12/15/15.” Fabec wrote that the transfer is possible because commissioners saved funds throughout 2015.

“Fabes goes on to write that ‘this memorandum is to notify you and your staff that, in accordance with state statute, no further amounts for either payroll owed or bills owed by the Sheriff’s Office can or will be paid out of Las Animas County funds for fiscal years 2015.'”

This is particularly relevant because Casias is running as a Democrat in Senate District 35, against Republican state Sen. Larry Crowder. Supporters of Casias viewed him as a credible candidate because of his strong support of the second amendment.  Nonetheless, it would appear that Casias is just another budget-busting liberal. We assume that those sheriff’s deputies whose paycheck is in question are part of the middle class, which makes this just another example of how liberals hurt, not help, the middle class.

Sheriff Casias, might we suggest a New Year’s resolution? Mind your budget. The middle class needs paychecks, too.