November 20, 2009
Boise, Idaho
Authorities say failed jail bond 'like getting punched'
By Adam Rodriguez
CALDWELL - Canyon County voters said 'no' to a new jail Tuesday. Even though 57 percent of voters approved the $46,000,000 bond, it was still short of the 66 percent super majority required to pass.
County commissioners Steve Rule and Kathy Alder met with bond consultants Wednesday morning to talk about what happens next. Rule says it's possible the county try again in May or August of next year. The county must pass the bond before the end of 2010 to qualify for $11,000,000 in federal stimulus funds that would go straight to a new jail. Rule says the jail population is currently around 350. That's hundreds less than last year, when officers started to cite and release suspects that they would typically take to jail. “There's 250 people who were incarcerated a little over a year ago that are now out in our communities,” Rule said. “The sheriff (Chris Smith) said next year he'll probably have to pay a million dollars to ship prisoners out-of-state because there's not enough local beds to house these inmates.” When asked why the vote failed, Rule said, “It's a tax issue. People are in this economy, more mindful of paying more property taxes. Any way you slice it, this is still a property tax.” At the Canyon County Sheriff's Office, Captain Craig Hanson says having the bond fail is like getting punched in the face. “It's definitely kind of a black eye or a shot in the eye. Like getting punched,” Hanson said. “We want to do proper service for our citizens here, but we also need the support and backing when we are asking for something. We're not looking to build a Taj Mahal." "We're looking for an adequate facility to hold inmates and criminals in our community that we have to deal with.” |
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