Friday, November 03, 2006

West Texas candidates opposing jail bonds

Even if the old jail has problems, that's not reason to build a "Taj Mahal" version, say candidates in Howard County about a jail bond proposal on Tuesday's ballot ("Debate continues over Howard County jail facility," Midland Reporter Telegram, Nov. 3). A local "Taxpayer Committee" sponsored a forum this week where Howard residents questioned whether the thinly populated rural county would grow enough in coming years to justify a new jail.

Regular readers know Smith County in northeast Texas rejected jail bonds earlier this year and are pursuing alternatives to incarceration for low-level, nonviolent offenders.

Does anybody know of other jail bond proposals on Tuesday's ballot in Texas?

UPDATE: A reader emails to say Bandera County will also vote on a last-minute jail bond proposal. Anybody else? NUTHER UPDATE: More on the Howard County jail oppostion.

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