An op-ed in The Herald on June 24 by Bob Drewel, Snohomish County Executive, explained the need for a one-tenth of one percent adult detention sales tax. (“Let voters decide how to pay for new jail”). He stated that the yet-to-be-constructed 640-bed addition to the county jail was indeed already paid for. Mr. Drewel admitted, however, that there were no funds available or yet planned to operate the facility. A new tax approved by the voters this fall is Mr. Drewel’s hope.
Mr. Drewel stated that the opening of the new jail addition will increase the annual cost of operations by about 65 percent over the current costs. He used simple political spin along with several scare tactics to try to show the need for the funds. Some of these phrases included: “public safety,” “make detention more cost-effective in the years ahead,” and “will have to make sweeping and deep cuts to other public services.”
He was successful in scaring the Snohomish County council. The proposal to place the tax increase on the ballot was approved subsequent to Mr. Drewel’s article. Mr. Drewel made the tax increase sound mundane and almost negligible. Thirteen dollars a year sounds harmless enough. So voters should not be troubled by the amount of the tax or question the appropriateness of the use of the tax.
I certainly cannot question the need for the jail addition nor the need for operating funds. I, however, do have several simple questions for Mr. Drewel and the county council.
When the jail was envisioned and construction authorized, did anyone think about or ask about the other additional costs, the operating and maintenance cost increases?
Did Mr. Drewel and the county council really think that once the county built the jail addition, the operating funds would come? From where? To the detriment of what?
Why were the construction and the operating costs not considered as a total project package when the first phase was approved?
I am glad the adult detention sales tax proposal will be on the ballot in the fall. At least the residents of Snohomish County will get the opportunity to judge the value of Mr. Drewel’s scare tactics used to get it on the ballot.
My prediction is that it will pass. Even I have difficulty not providing a place to house our swelling inmate population. I have difficulty with Mr. Drewel’s tactics.
Edmonds
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