If you could send a message to criminals in Snohomish County, we doubt it would be anything like, "OK, we’ve caught you. Now go home, and please don’t do it again."
No, we suspect you’d want to send the toughest, clearest message possible that crime won’t be tolerated here — that if you do the crime, you’ll do the time.
That’s the tack county law and justice leaders have taken, and they have an overflowing jail to prove it. Ground has been broken on a new wing that will open in 2005, an expansion that will more than double the number of beds at the county jail. The expansion is part of the $167 million county campus project, which is being funded by bonds that will be repaid out of the general fund, at no new expense to taxpayers.
Operating the expanded jail, of course, carries its own pricetag — about $15 million per year above current costs. To cover this new expense, to pay for holding criminals accountable, voters are being asked to approve raising the county sales tax by a tenth of a penny on the dollar — a dime on a $100 purchase.
About $6 million from a county budget already cut to the bone will go toward the new maintenance costs. If voters don’t approve this tax increase, the other $9 million will come out of existing services. There’s unanimous agreement among county leaders from both parties — including the Republican-controlled county council — that this tax is the only reasonable way to pay for jail operations. Even conservative council member John Koster, no fan of taxes, is backing this ballot measure.
Voters should be clear about what this tax would fund. The jail will be built and staffed, no matter how the vote goes on May 20. The issue is whether the bulk of the costs for running it will come out of new revenue or existing services.
The latter option almost certainly would mean cuts in law and justice services, because they consume some two-thirds of the county budget. That could mean less money for prevention programs, which can range from teaching inmates how to become productive members of the community to fighting drug use. It also would put pressure on prosecutors to bring charges against fewer criminals to keep the system from breaking down.
In light of recent news accounts of management problems at the existing jail, voters will rightly ask why new revenue should go to jail operations. Some of those problems clearly stem from a stressed system — overcrowding is a well-documented problem at the jail, one the new jail will address. Leadership problems are being addressed, and the recent hiring of a highly regarded jail director from King County raises confidence that they’re being addressed effectively.
There’s also plenty of evidence that new tax dollars will be spent efficiently. The new jail will house about 11 percent more inmates per corrections officer than the existing jail, yielding significant savings. Other built-in efficiencies have reduced construction costs and will increase safety.
Citizens have asked government to get tougher on crime, and they’ve gotten their wish. Now they’re being asked to pay a modest amount in return. Voters should say yes.
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