County officials are urging voters to pass a 0.5 percent sales tax that would fund the construction of a new Lawrence County jail, calling it essential for the county's financial well-being.
A Walnut Ridge City Council member who opposes the tax, though, said the county knew that its current jail has not been meeting standards for years and should have planned ahead, rather than placing the burden on taxpayers at the last minute.
Tuesday's special election ballot measure calls for a 0.375 percent tax that would be allocated to build a 100-bed 20,000-square foot jail near the downtown Walnut Ridge county courthouse. The collection of that portion of the tax would end after 22 years, when construction bonds were paid off.
An additional 0.125 percent tax would be permanent and pay for the jail's maintenance and operation.
If passed, the tax is estimated to collect about $585,000 a year, said Lawrence County Judge Dale Freeman.
Early voting began Tuesday.
"This is important," Freeman said of the tax. "We need a new jail in Lawrence County. We wouldn't be able to stand it [financially] if we don't have one."
The state's Criminal Detentions Facility Review Committee recommended closing the 40-year-old jail in September after an August inspection found several inadequacies. The committee gave the county an extension until Dec. 9 to see if the sales-tax issue passes before ordering the closure.
The committee found during the Aug. 27 inspection that the jail's sprinkler system is deficient, lighting is poor in some cells, there are no fire alarms, detainees often sleep on cots in hallways because of crowding and female prisoners are not separated properly from male prisoners.
If the jail closes, Freeman said, the county will be forced to pay $50 per day to house male prisoners and $55 per day for female prisoners at a jail in Greene County. The judge said it would spend more than $720,000 a year in fees to other jails alone.
"We can build a jail cheaper than that," he said.
But Walnut Ridge Alderman Jeff Taylor said he opposes the tax, saying locating the jail on county-owned property downtown would hinder Walnut Ridge from receiving grant money for a swimming pool or service center, and it would prohibit downtown events.
Taylor added that Lawrence County residents are already paying a 2 percent county sales tax.
"This decision has resorted to costing us an election, and asking the people to give even more of their hard-earned money ... should not be taken lightly," Taylor wrote in a letter to the city's newspaper Tuesday.
Taylor said other counties, including neighboring Randolph County, have dealt with jail issues and did not raise taxes.
Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Yates said his jail population remains about 38 or 39 inmates a day. He said municipal judges have "worked" with the county in reducing sentences for criminals with lesser offenses to keep the jail from being full.
In the past, the jail has had up to 70 inmates in a day.
"This is an extremely important election," Yates said. "If this doesn't pass, the county will be in big trouble."
Justice of the Peace Lloyd Clark said the county's budget can't afford hiring additional deputies to transport prisoners to other counties, either.
"We don't have any spare money for anything," Clark said. "I hope people realize the need for this and get out and vote."
Sterling Penix, the coordinator of the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, said members will meet with county officials on Dec. 9 to review the jail's status.
If the tax passes, it will take about a year and a half to build a new jail, Lawrence County officials said. Penix said as long as officials have a plan in place, the county will receive extensions on the jail closure.
"We're looking for Lawrence County to have a plan to meet compliance," he said.
"If the tax fails, we will look at any alternative plan they have. They may house inmates at another county or come up with another jail option. We want to allow them time to work on this. It is definitely an urgent matter."
State Desk on 11/09/2015