JP candidates talk Washington County jail, budget

Ann Harbison (left) and Jim Wilson candidates for Washington County Justice of the Peace District 14
Ann Harbison (left) and Jim Wilson candidates for Washington County Justice of the Peace District 14

FAYETTEVILLE -- The two Washington County justice of the peace candidates for District 14 discussed the jail and budget issues during Tuesday night's forum at the Fayetteville Public Library.

Ann Harbison, incumbent and a Democrat, is running against Jim Wilson, a Republican, for the District 14 seat, which represents the residents living in south-south central Washington County.

Harbison, 76, is a cattle farmer and lifelong resident of West Fork. She earned her bachelor's degree in agriculture at the University of Arkansas. She is a retired teacher of 39 years and worked in Greenland and Winslow school districts. Harbison has been serving as a justice of the peace since first elected in 2004.

Wilson, 66, is retired and has lived in the district since 1978. He earned his bachelor's degree in accounting at the University of Arkansas. He has worked in banking and real estate and was a regional supervisor for the Arkansas Department of Health before he retired in 2017. Wilson served as the boards and commission director under former Gov. Mike Huckabee and as chief of staff for Fay Boozman.

"I sincerely believe that the combination of my accounting education and my several years of experience in management and working with budgets will assist me in looking for ways to solve our budget woes without raising taxes," Wilson said.

Both candidates said they would not support a millage or sales tax increase at this time.

Harbison said she is running because she had unfinished business on the court, which includes balancing the budget.

"We can't balance the budget until we do something about the jail," she said. "The jail is a black hole that is sucking money out of the general fund."

Harbison focused on the strain that housing pretrial prisoners puts on the county's crowded jail. She would like to get the judges and county prosecutor on board with coming up with alternative solutions, such as more use of ankle bracelets, she said.

"If we could address the pretrial issue first; think out of the box and get these people out of the jail, working and paying taxes to the county, then we would solve one of our basic problems in the county," Harbison said. "I'm not talking about moving dangerous people out of the jail. I'm talking about moving poor people out of the jail who can't pay their bail."

Both candidates said they would be willing to look at any idea that could save money on the jail front and anywhere else in the county budgets.

Wilson said the county needs to make sure the cities are paying their fair share for prisoners.

People need remember the percentage of people living in the rural areas compared to in the cities of Washington County keep going down and is likely to be down to just 14 percent by 2020, Wilson said. That shrinking portion of the population can't pay for everything, he said.

"We do need to make sure the cities using the services are paying for the services," he said.

If elected, Wilson said he has the time to devote to listening and responding to those in the district with any concerns.

Harbison also mentioned that she is a big supporter of rural firefighters and ambulance service.

Justices of the peace serve two-year terms and are paid $200 per meeting.

The election is Nov. 6. Early voting begins Oct. 22.

NW News on 09/26/2018

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