Leonard at large 9/24

Wednesday, September 24, 2003

It has now been eight weeks since the last election was held. There were two major issues that involved sales taxes. The issue on the city of Nevada's ballot, which passed, continues the one-half cent sales tax, which will continue as a tax and will be used to pay for the improvements for the sewer system. An improved sewer system is necessary and the city is now beginning to develop the plans to start this important system, which will take several years to complete. The one-half cent county proposal for public safety met with a different fate. It was soundly defeated. If successful, it would have provided new county and city jails and an Enhanced 911. These things are needed. With the condition of the county jail, it is necessary to build a new one if the county continues to have a jail. If the county jail is closed, the cost of law enforcement will go up with the county prisoners housed in another location or locations. This proposal was doomed from the beginning. The idea -- and proposals accompanying it -- to have a new county jail, is not going to go away. We as citizens will need to make a decision of what we want and how will it be financed. Most of us dread the thought of paying any more taxes. Voters have the freedom to not vote, but also the responsibility to vote. It is difficult for me to understand why a great portion of voters do not cast ballots. Now after saying this, I have to confess -- I was one of those that did not vote in the most recent election. It was held the day before my mother's funeral, and I had planned to vote but forgot to do so. I did not think of it until I was getting ready for the visitation, and it was too late to make it to the polls. Still, I do not have a good excuse for not going and casting my ballot. A large majority of the votes were against the county tax, and there were a large number of people glad it was defeated for one reason or another. Perhaps, many of these voters did not like what was proposed, even thought they felt the need for a new facility. The county commissioners recognized the problem and are concerned with the present jail, which was adequate back in the 60's but is no longer adequately meeting the needs. They put much effort into making a decision for the proposal. They tried to get public input and held public hearings, which were not well attended. It was not until the information meetings, held before the election, when people started speaking out. Now, commissioners are trying to evaluate why there was opposition to the proposal. Of course, one of the basic objections is that people are opposed to any new taxes. Obviously, if there is ever a new jail, it will most likely have to be funded by the public in some way. Unless you want a private firm to come in and build a jail for the county, then contract with the county for inmate housing. Other than that, it seems impossible for it to be paid by private funding. Maybe it was the timing -- the city also had a proposal on the ballot for a continuation of a sales tax. Perhaps the vote should have been delayed to get everybody working together on the vote. I observed a lack of communication from the beginning of the discussion for the proposal. All parties involved were not communicating with one another. Each one appeared to have one agenda and were not open to the others. Communication is difficult, especially when it comes to decision making with public issues. It takes time for everyone to come together for a common goal. Those who promoted the original proposal for an E911 in Vernon County did not appear to be supportive of the proposal. It was not what they had proposed in an earlier E911 ballot issue, which was defeated. Apparently, this proposal was not to their satisfaction, but would have provided a form of E911 if passed. E911 is needed to meet the needs of the 21st Century and something that should be provided for our citizens. Again, how would we finance it, and what is really needed? Are what is wanted and what is needed two different things? Putting city and county facilities into one complex is a practical idea. We are all one -- the city and the county, even though it is two units of government. There is a need for the two units to cooperate with one another, and in some ways, the cooperation already exists. Yet putting the city facility with the county appeared to have contributed to the failure of the public safety proposal. Several voters did not want the city involvement. Also, the city did not appear to be supportive. Four out of the five city council members expressed that they were in favor of the proposal, but the council never took a vote to endorse it. City officials appeared not to be in support of the proposal. Again, this might have been because there was another issue being proposed at the same time. Many thought that the acquisition of the land was too high or did not like the location. The commissioners with the help of the consultant considered many sites and came up with the proposed six acre site . This location met with greater acceptance than the one near St. Mary's that was considered. A jail located somewhere in the vicinity of Centennial Boulevard and Austin is a proper location for a county jail. Some did not like the idea of making the jail large enough to house prisoners from federal or other places. One of their points is that it will bring in family members of an unwanted element. Is that based on fact? This is the same argument against having a prison located here. Yet, the communities having a state prison have been helped economically by having the prison. Extra capacity in the jail would help with the cost of maintaining the jail and would save tax payers of Vernon County money. A vote for a law enforcement tax can not be taken again for one year, until August 2004. A new county jail is greatly needed. An expanded 911 is greatly needed. If there is a priority for either of these issues, which is the greatest priority? The county commissioners are regrouping and giving consideration to what the citizens of the county want. The need remains and will not go away.

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