Now that OKC has voted Maps 3 in,
and if you live in Oklahoma County
you are going to be hit up for another
1 penny sale taxs for another
massive $350 million taxpayer project,
A New County Jail!
LOL
Gwin Faulconer Lippert Show
Dec. 6, 2009
KTOK
and if you live in Oklahoma County
you are going to be hit up for another
1 penny sale taxs for another
massive $350 million taxpayer project,
A New County Jail!
LOL
Gwin Faulconer Lippert Show
Dec. 6, 2009
KTOK
Oklahoma County voters to face decision on tax for jailhouse
by Brian Brus
The Journal Record
December 9, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY – Right on the heels of Oklahoma City voters’ decision on the MAPS 3 $777 million penny sales tax Tuesday, many of those same metro area residents will soon have to decide another massive taxpayer project.
It’s a $350 million proposal that Oklahoma County commissioners are dreading.
“I’m certainly interested in knowing the outcome of MAPS 3 to get a reading on the sentiment of the voters and how they feel about taking up a countywide tax,” District 2 Commissioner Brian Maughn said earlier this week. “Part of the frustration is that we don’t really even know yet what proposal we’ll introduce for voters to consider.”
And District 1 Commissioner Willa Johnson said, “I personally think it’s going to be a challenge, but I think that our people are reasonable enough to know we’ve got to do something about the jail and we can’t continue to operate the way it is.”
Commissioners and an advisory committee have been discussing how to handle problems with the Oklahoma County Detention Center, which was opened in 1991 about a mile west of the downtown district. Design flaws have plagued the building and last year the U.S. Justice Department reported that inmates receive negligent medical care in overcrowded and often violent conditions, effectively violating their constitutional rights.
County officials reached an agreement with the Justice Department to immediately avoid costly sanctions, but that forgiveness is contingent on the county instituting major corrections or building a new prison altogether. In other words, the county can’t afford to not do something, Maughn said; federal officials will force the issue one way or another.
In 1997, the Oklahoma City Jail merged with the county detention center to share operations. The building is 268,000 square feet and has capacity for about 3,000 inmates. Estimates for a new jail have ranged from about $300 million to $400 million, with repairs not much cheaper.
Maughn said commissioners will meet with a bond lawyer Friday to discuss funding options, which could include some combination of general obligation bonds, sales taxes and property taxes.
“I’m stressing that we don’t know yet what direction we’ll take,” he said.
Johnson said commissioners are open to suggestions from their constituents. When asked if she had a preference about whether to replace or repair the jail, Johnson instead said she would like to see the current building put to a good use.
“That may not mean keeping the county jail there,” she said. “I’m not married to any idea. But I hate to see a building that new go down.’
“Ultimately, I think we’ll get it done,” she said. “But I think it’s going to be a big challenge for the voters to decide.”
It’s a $350 million proposal that Oklahoma County commissioners are dreading.
“I’m certainly interested in knowing the outcome of MAPS 3 to get a reading on the sentiment of the voters and how they feel about taking up a countywide tax,” District 2 Commissioner Brian Maughn said earlier this week. “Part of the frustration is that we don’t really even know yet what proposal we’ll introduce for voters to consider.”
And District 1 Commissioner Willa Johnson said, “I personally think it’s going to be a challenge, but I think that our people are reasonable enough to know we’ve got to do something about the jail and we can’t continue to operate the way it is.”
Commissioners and an advisory committee have been discussing how to handle problems with the Oklahoma County Detention Center, which was opened in 1991 about a mile west of the downtown district. Design flaws have plagued the building and last year the U.S. Justice Department reported that inmates receive negligent medical care in overcrowded and often violent conditions, effectively violating their constitutional rights.
County officials reached an agreement with the Justice Department to immediately avoid costly sanctions, but that forgiveness is contingent on the county instituting major corrections or building a new prison altogether. In other words, the county can’t afford to not do something, Maughn said; federal officials will force the issue one way or another.
In 1997, the Oklahoma City Jail merged with the county detention center to share operations. The building is 268,000 square feet and has capacity for about 3,000 inmates. Estimates for a new jail have ranged from about $300 million to $400 million, with repairs not much cheaper.
Maughn said commissioners will meet with a bond lawyer Friday to discuss funding options, which could include some combination of general obligation bonds, sales taxes and property taxes.
“I’m stressing that we don’t know yet what direction we’ll take,” he said.
Johnson said commissioners are open to suggestions from their constituents. When asked if she had a preference about whether to replace or repair the jail, Johnson instead said she would like to see the current building put to a good use.
“That may not mean keeping the county jail there,” she said. “I’m not married to any idea. But I hate to see a building that new go down.’
“Ultimately, I think we’ll get it done,” she said. “But I think it’s going to be a big challenge for the voters to decide.”
