Between now and the second you pick up your ballot at your voting precinct or open your absentee ballot in September, you have plenty of time to decide what you think about the tax increase to pay for operating an expanded jail here in Snohomish County.
The Snohomish County Council made a wise move earlier this month by deciding unanimously to put the matter before voters. People have made it clear they want the opportunity to decide tax increases at the ballot box. Now voters need to do their homework so they can make an informed choice.
As Republican county council member John Koster said, "I of all people do not like to sit up here and even think of raising taxes. But we all want safe streets, we all want to be tough on crime … and there’s a cost that has to be borne for this."
The mere thought of raising taxes — especially when even heftier measures will be on the ballot this fall — is daunting to both voters and those officials proposing the taxes. But there is reason to be encouraged that residents are not being asked to pay for construction of the $87 million jail in Everett. It’s the cost of running the jail that citizens are being asked to consider. And it’s a valid request.
Voters asked for tougher sentences for criminals and got them. Now many are asking for lighter sentences for certain crimes. That’s worth exploring, too. But whether such changes in our justice system will actually occur to the degree that would knock a large enough chunk off the operating price tag of the jail is uncertain, even unlikely. Recent news articles reporting that certain crimes were up in Snohomish County last year should tell us that.
The county must continue to do its job by searching for creative and realistic ways to reduce costs as much as possible. Those council members who have their own questions about whether the county has exhausted all possibilities should be working with staff to find reasonable options, if they are available. Then, officials must relay that information to the public through more community meetings.
Ultimately, it’s up to the voters to decide if the price tag is worth it and if the county has done its budgeting and planning job wisely. The jail is going to be built and we’re going to have to pay more to operate it one way or another. That is as guaranteed as the fact that crime will always be with us.
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