Judging from statements in this KLTV-Tyler story, you can already count 3 of 5 votes on the Smith County Commissioners Court who are sold on bypassing voters to expand the county jail. "Commissioners say after four defeats, the jail's need for growth is so important, they are considering certificates of obligation," reported the TV station.
We already knew Smith County Judge Joel Baker is for building a jail by hook or by crook, and it was Commissioner Jeff Warr who proposed using "certificates of obligation" instead of voter approved debt. KLTV quotes a third commissioner agreeing up front that voters need only be informed, but their permission need not be requested: "'Really and truly, if it came down to issuing CO's, I would vote with Co's in a minute, but I would still make sure the public knew what was going on,' said Precinct 4 Commissioner JoAnn Hampton."
Earlier this week, Smith County released its "Comprehensive Plan to Alleviate Jail Overcrowding" (pdf) which amounts to nothing but a $33 million jail expansion. That's not a "comprehensive" plan at all: It focuses only on capacity and not reducing inmate numbers. This smaller jail expansion is surely more appropriate than the massive "Taj Majal" versions proposed in the past. But it's pointless if not coupled with measures to reduce the county's astronomical incarceration rate, which is by far the highest among Texas counties with more than 150,000 population. And it flies in the face of repeated refusals by voters to issue new debt for the jail.
I hear politicians yammering all the time that their legislation "sends a message." So what message does it send if, when voters continually deny them permission to build a jail, commissioners just quit asking and do it anyway?
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15 comments:
Kind of like Obamacare, isn't it, Grits? The Democrats approach was essentially to say "to hell with what 70% of the public wants, we know better than they do what's good for this country so just let them shut up and take their medicine!" By hook or crook, right? I'm really glad to see that you're finally waking up to the runaway spending that's going on in this country! Whether at the federal, state or county levels, these "tax and spend" liberals who feel that they have zero accountability to the public need to be called to task for their actions! Come join us at the Tea Party rally next April 15th, Grits!
"I'm really glad to see that you're finally waking up to the runaway spending that's going on"
Where have you been? That's been a principal theme on this blog since its earliest days.
Of course, they aren't talking about decreasing the jail population. Their goal is to increase the number of people that they have control over. It's all about power.
In Smith County, 8:36, they are "tax and spend" conservatives.
The political machine wants a new jail so the political machine will get a new jail.
Grits, I agree with you that reducing incarceration rates/inmate numbers is a necessary element of any "comprehensive" plan to avoid jail over-crowding. However, given the limited authority a County Commissioners Court has, how do you see -- or who do you see -- addressing that element?
What if the County Sheriff, the various constables, and the police departments of the towns and cities of Smith County will not go along with ticketing instead of arresting, and other methods of reducing the inmate population? Judges have to be part of the plan, also, as well as prosecuting attorneys.
I suspect there may not be much sentiment for a comprehensive approach, in Smith County.
Anon 8:36 comes across as the typical tea-partier: Confused, confabulating, and confrontational.
What is the issue here, 8:36, your fantasies about health care and Grits For Breakfast, or the spending of money by the Smith County Commissioners Court? Why do you strive so hard to make a point about tax and spend liberals when that meme has nothing at all to do with the subject at hand?
Doran, that's true of every jail building scenario in the state - the commissioners court and the Sheriff say they have no choice because the judges and ADAs make the relevant decisions. It's true to a point, but instead of calling judges out and demanding they work with commissioners to lower the jail pop, they meekly ignore the real source of the problem and we get another jail proposal. They've hired lots of outside jail designers but few consultants to tell them how to improve systems to reduce crowding.
If the judges won't work with them, start cutting their office budgets. Begin with the expense accounts.
"I hear politicians yammering all the time that their legislation "sends a message." So what message does it send if, when voters continually deny them permission to build a jail, commissioners just quit asking and do it anyway?"
These Smith County officials must be practicing to run for state or federal offices, both demo and repo. My guess is any elected official who votes in favor of this is going to be on the receiving end of the message from voters who will vote them out of office. That is if they have an opponent.
In the meeting Tuesday at the Commissioners court where Commish Marr rolled out his plan EVERY citizen public comment asked them to let the voters vote. We'll see.
This is where conservatives aren't conservatives. They have zero intention of confronting the judges who are driving the states number one incarceration rate.
Just to be clear, 12:42, Smith doesn't have the highest incarceration rate in the state - an honor that belongs to tiny Kenedy County - and there are other, mostly much smaller counties with higher rates. But Smith is the highest among counties above 150K, for sure. (Smith's population is about 200K.) Here's a chart listing TX county jail incarceration rates (pdf) as of July 1.
It's really not a difficult formula. The commissioners simply agree with the public, NO NEW JAIL, NO EXPANSION, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. This then forces the D.A. and Sheriff to figure out how to live within the means established by the people. At least, this is how it has worked, so far, in Harris County.
More like "tax and profit" conservatives (not).
Doran has a great idea - opposition by the community.
Commissioners are serving the Governor, not the public.
Maybe they should try cleaning the nasty ole place they have up? maintaining instead of destroying the inside of the building? sanitation goes a long way in building preservation !
Or maybe stop arresting adults who make the safer choice to use marijuana over alcohol then they would have a nice, clean, well kept,
jail house AND HALF EMPTY !!!
Lots of room for the criminals !
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