Mutlnomah County: Can't open a jail but has a "sewing specialist"

Any time I am feeling like maybe government needs just a little bit more money to operate the schools, the jails, and perform their essential tasks, you know, they will promise to spend it wisely this time, I simply go to a government website and start looking at job titles.

A few Multnomah County Jobs...
SEWING SPECIALIST $24,429.60 - $30,004.56 annually
To provide sewing, mending, alterations, and repairs to county property i.e., linens, uniforms, inmate clothing including underwear, upholstery, etc. Work is accomplished by hand sewing and by use of electric sewing machine.
Clearly this work MUST be done by a PERS recipient. There is no way this job could be outsourced to the private sector.

RECREATIONAL & EXPRESS THERAPIST $41,384.16 - $47,961.36 annually
Provide recreational and expressive therapy activities in groups so that clients are provided opportunity to change problematic behavior; carry small caseload of individual clients; develop recreational and expressive therapy programming consistent with cognitive behavioral and social learning modalities; facilitate expressive therapy activities in groups; facilitate or monitor recreational activities in groups; and orient and educate clients to expressive and recreational therapy modalities as well as Program and Facility policies.
I am positive that the community would rather give criminals "expressive therapy" than lock them up in that new jail that the county doesn't have the money to open.

LIBRARY OUTREACH SPECIALIST $42,177.60 - $48,900.96 annually
To develop, plan and implement outreach programs for special needs clients, e.g., parents of young children, toddlers and preschoolers in day care situations, and low income or homeless.
Parents of young children are "special needs?" Do you realize how many job titles that start with "Library" that Multnomah County has? I'm not sure what the "Librarian" is doing all day but apparently she needs the help of an Events Coordinator, Clerk, Assistant, Materials Proccessor, Page, Support Services Admin, Supervisor, etc.