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Bert Teskey, Carol German, Gene Kerkman, James Moreau, Co-Chair Ann Sterling, Jerry Wiley, Pat McGowan, and Harry Westbay. Chairman Rowle Simmons was not available during this photo opportunity.
On August 4, 2008, the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors, sitting as the Board of Directors of the Yavapai County Jail District, voted unanimously to ask Yavapai County voters to approve an additional one-quarter of one cent ($0.0025) Jail District Sales Tax at the November general election. The vote followed a unanimous recommendation by the Citizens Committee on the Jail District Sales Tax to place the tax increase before the voters. Prior to its decision, the Board also heard a summary of the results of a citizen survey by Northern Arizona University Social Research Laboratory and a presentation by C3 Corrections, L.L.C. consulting firm, nationally recognized experts in corrections facility assessments.
In his remarks to the Board, Citizens Committee Chairman Rowle Simmons said he was impressed with the volumes of information provided by the County for the Committee’s review. He noted that members included a “great cross section of folks who came to the mission with no particular agenda.”
The Citizens Committee met six times during June and July 2008, in accordance with Arizona Open Meeting laws, and held its final meeting on July 28, 2008. Members of the Committee conducted a comprehensive review of the Yavapai County Adult Detention Facilities and the factors affecting the costs of operating those facilities. During its meetings, the Citizens Committee listened to presentations and questioned elected officials, County staff and consultants regarding Detention Facilities costs, operations and projections.
In its report to the Board, the Citizens Committee recognized the critical role of Detention Facilities noting that community safety could be jeopardized if the Jail District continues to operate at a deficit. The Committee also noted that as Yavapai County continues to grow and become more urbanized, crime rates and demand for jail facilities will continue unabated. The Committee recognized that the current Jail District deficit is already diverting limited General Fund revenues. It concluded that absent an additional source of Jail District revenue, competition for General Fund resources would require a reduction in funding for other county services and programs such as courts, law enforcement and roads, regardless of need. The Committee further recognized that the County’s jail system is being operated efficiently, effectively, and responsibly even with high transportation costs resulting from the geographical separation and configuration of the adult jail facilities.
By a unanimous vote, the Committee concluded that in order to fund the Jail District without utilizing General Fund dollars, it is necessary to raise the Jail District Sales Tax by an additional one-quarter of one cent ($0.0025) to the maximum amount authorized by state law. Chairman Simmons, summarizing the Committee’s findings during his presentation to the Board concluded that “You really have no choice.”
The General Election will be held on November 4, 2008.
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