Local government can get stuff done. The public needs to be willing to say "yes." The default orientation of taxpayers is to say "no" to new tax measures that come up for a vote. People wonder if we really need the change. People distrust government. People don't want to pay more in taxes. "No" wins the day -- unless there is a large, credible group of people saying "yes," making a persuasive point that the proposed project is worthy.
Oh, a policeman's lot is not a happy one. We've learned that a long time ago. No amount of Gilbert & Sullivanizing will make a fundamentally negative narrative (crime and punishment) a popular community topic. I paid some attention during the 2020 new jail go round. I could never get my basic questioned answered: who takes up the beds in our existing jail so that it is inadequate? Not names, of course, but groupings. who's in there and who should/shouldn't be? #1 how many guests are serving sentences for felony violations of state law? They should be in the state prison system not the county jail. But the state prison system is also rumored to be overcrowded...so people languish here. #2 how many beds to we "sell" to Klamath, Josephine, Douglas Counties so they don't have to expand their jails...and Jac Co can make a few extra bucks? #3 How many Federal fugitives and Federal prisoners do we hold on average, until the Feds get around to scooping them up at their leisure? #4 How many pretrial holds fill beds. If one can articulate a flight risk or danger to community, fine. That person needs to sit in jail. Otherwise why punish before trial? It would be a perfect world if everyone who offends us could be locked away...but 500, 700, 1000 beds wouldn't be enough. Before supporting new facilities I'd like to know. Who is in there and what matrix is used to determine hold or release.
Oh, a policeman's lot is not a happy one. We've learned that a long time ago. No amount of Gilbert & Sullivanizing will make a fundamentally negative narrative (crime and punishment) a popular community topic. I paid some attention during the 2020 new jail go round. I could never get my basic questioned answered: who takes up the beds in our existing jail so that it is inadequate? Not names, of course, but groupings. who's in there and who should/shouldn't be? #1 how many guests are serving sentences for felony violations of state law? They should be in the state prison system not the county jail. But the state prison system is also rumored to be overcrowded...so people languish here. #2 how many beds to we "sell" to Klamath, Josephine, Douglas Counties so they don't have to expand their jails...and Jac Co can make a few extra bucks? #3 How many Federal fugitives and Federal prisoners do we hold on average, until the Feds get around to scooping them up at their leisure? #4 How many pretrial holds fill beds. If one can articulate a flight risk or danger to community, fine. That person needs to sit in jail. Otherwise why punish before trial? It would be a perfect world if everyone who offends us could be locked away...but 500, 700, 1000 beds wouldn't be enough. Before supporting new facilities I'd like to know. Who is in there and what matrix is used to determine hold or release.