Sunday, June 7, 2009
DECEPTION
Jail Site HAS Been Chosen
The front page of the Examiner Enterprise Sunday, June 7th is deliberately deceptive, misleading, and disingenuous. Voters don't be mislead. Technically, the ballot language may be site neutral, but the county has already chosen its site, purchased its site and started preparing its site. If you give them your money, the jail WILL be at the corner of Adams and Oak. Once they have your money, what motivation would they have to change the site?
The county and newspaper are presenting a false choice. They say your choice is to vote yes (and get a jail) or vote no (and not get a jail). The real choice is to vote yes (and allow them to proceed with this inappropriate site) or to vote no (and demand that they choose a new site BEFORE they hold an election).
MORE DECEPTION
No Cap on Spending
Below you will find the exact wording from the ballot proposal you will be asked to vote for. Please read carefully!
Ballot Proposal
“A proposition providing for funds for Washington County, Oklahoma; authorizing levying a county excise (sales tax) of one-half (.50) of one (1) cent upon the gross proceeds derived from all sales to any person taxable under sales tax laws of Oklahoma, the proceeds of which to be deposited to a sales tax depository account with the Washington County Treasurer, pledged toward the retirement of indebtedness incurred therefore, payment of operations and maintenance expenses related thereto; and to be designated and used specifically as follows
“Acquisition, construction, and equipping a new Washington County Detention Facility; operating and maintaining the Washington County detention facility; and certain courthouse improvements;
“A portion of such sales tax, one-quarter (.25) of one (1) cent, shall have a limited duration of ten (10) years from the date of commencement, OR until principal and interest upon indebtedness incurred on behalf of Washington County by the Washington County correctional facilities authority in furtherance of the new county detention facility and certain courthouse improvements is paid in full, whichever occurs earlier; while the remaining portion of such sales tax, one-quarter (.25) of one (1) percent, to continue until repealed by a majority of the electors of Washington County in an election called for the purpose of posing said proposition; making provisions separable; and declaring an emergency.”
The county is allowed to propose as many ballots as necessary to provide voter's a responsible approach to building a new jail.
If the time for a jail is now, then why is the county not providing a responsible ballot proposal so voters would feel good about voting yes?
As voters, we need to demand the jail ballot proposal is a responsible one BEFORE they ask us to fund it!
Vote NO and tell your commissioners that you will NOT vote yes until they provide a SITE and a DOLLAR AMOUNT for the jail ballot proposal!
Jail Site HAS Been Chosen
The front page of the Examiner Enterprise Sunday, June 7th is deliberately deceptive, misleading, and disingenuous. Voters don't be mislead. Technically, the ballot language may be site neutral, but the county has already chosen its site, purchased its site and started preparing its site. If you give them your money, the jail WILL be at the corner of Adams and Oak. Once they have your money, what motivation would they have to change the site?
The county and newspaper are presenting a false choice. They say your choice is to vote yes (and get a jail) or vote no (and not get a jail). The real choice is to vote yes (and allow them to proceed with this inappropriate site) or to vote no (and demand that they choose a new site BEFORE they hold an election).
MORE DECEPTION
No Cap on Spending
Below you will find the exact wording from the ballot proposal you will be asked to vote for. Please read carefully!
Ballot Proposal
“A proposition providing for funds for Washington County, Oklahoma; authorizing levying a county excise (sales tax) of one-half (.50) of one (1) cent upon the gross proceeds derived from all sales to any person taxable under sales tax laws of Oklahoma, the proceeds of which to be deposited to a sales tax depository account with the Washington County Treasurer, pledged toward the retirement of indebtedness incurred therefore, payment of operations and maintenance expenses related thereto; and to be designated and used specifically as follows
“Acquisition, construction, and equipping a new Washington County Detention Facility; operating and maintaining the Washington County detention facility; and certain courthouse improvements;
“A portion of such sales tax, one-quarter (.25) of one (1) cent, shall have a limited duration of ten (10) years from the date of commencement, OR until principal and interest upon indebtedness incurred on behalf of Washington County by the Washington County correctional facilities authority in furtherance of the new county detention facility and certain courthouse improvements is paid in full, whichever occurs earlier; while the remaining portion of such sales tax, one-quarter (.25) of one (1) percent, to continue until repealed by a majority of the electors of Washington County in an election called for the purpose of posing said proposition; making provisions separable; and declaring an emergency.”
The county is allowed to propose as many ballots as necessary to provide voter's a responsible approach to building a new jail.
If the time for a jail is now, then why is the county not providing a responsible ballot proposal so voters would feel good about voting yes?
As voters, we need to demand the jail ballot proposal is a responsible one BEFORE they ask us to fund it!
Vote NO and tell your commissioners that you will NOT vote yes until they provide a SITE and a DOLLAR AMOUNT for the jail ballot proposal!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Vote NO on June 9th
"We are leading up to the county election on June 9, when voters will decide whether or not to approve funding for the $14.5 million dollar facility.Voters shot down two proposals for funding during an election last year, prompting county officials to start over again with plans for the project — and lowering projected costs by several million dollars.
If approved by voters in June, the proposed $14.5 million jail will be funded with a half-cent sales tax for 10 years, which would reduce to a quarter of that after 10 years. It is planned that the only tax remaining at that point would be applied to the maintenance and operations." (Examiner Enterprise 5-19-2009)
This is not just a vote FOR a jail, this is a vote for a jail IN a neighborhood. By voting for the jail, you will be allowing the county to build a jail right across the street from homes where children live. We all know we need a new jail, but that does not eliminate the responsibility of county officials to build a jail in a responsible way. Please contact county officials and let them know that you will NOT vote yes until they MOVE THAT JAIL!!!
County Commissioner contact information:
Board of County Commissioners
Washington County Courthouse
400 S Johnstone Room 201
Bartlesville, OK 74003
If you would rather just send an email, here are the email addresses:
Gary Deckard: gdeckard@countycourthouse.org
Linda Herndon: lherndon@countycourthouse.org
Mike Dunlap: mdunlap@countycourthouse.org
A Letter from a Neighbor
Dear Friends,
There is no question that a new jail is a legitimate need for our community. However, the County’s current plans for the jail site involve meeting that legitimate need in an illegitimate way.
Imagine if the county decided to put the jail next to your church or your child’s school; you would not agree with that decision or vote for that site. Now imagine that the county decided to put the jail next to your home. You certainly would have a problem with that site and you would hope and pray that your fellow citizens would support your opposition to such an inappropriate and incompatible addition to your neighborhood.
If Washington County voters approve the new taxes for the jail on June 9th, they will also be approving a jail site that is in the middle of a neighborhood. One family on Oak will literally walk out of their front door, walk across the street, and be on the jail campus. When they sit on their front porch, they will be looking at a jail. May it never be!
If Washington County voters approve the new taxes for the jail on June 9th, what will history say about that decision? Will it be a flagrant example of maltreatment of the poor? Will it be viewed as a discriminatory act against the African-American community? Will it a brazen illustration of the powerful taking advantage of the weak?
I urge Washington County voters to exercise the Golden Rule when you step into the voting booth on June 9th; do to others what you would have them do to you.
Sincerely,
Sonja Settle
After Sonja sent out this email, she received an inquiry about what her solution would be if we all voted no. Here is how she responded:
I think that that is a great question; thank you for taking the time to ask!
First, this problem (what happens if we vote no) would not be a problem if the County had not "jumped the gun" and purchased the property BEFORE it was properly zoned. If they had not done that last year, then when the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission voted down their proposal to rezone for a jail (on May 27th, last year) then the county could have "dusted themselves off" and proceeded with their plans on another site. They quite possibly could have broken ground on something during this past year. Instead, their problem then became the City's (as in City Council) when the County appealed the MAPC decision. The City Council knew it was wrong, which was why they first voted NOT to rezone to allow for the jail. And then they broke their own statute (and the law) when they revoted a week later. And now, here we are -- again . . .
I still say that this problem is THEIRS (the County's) not ours. I believe that they should sell the property and start over with plans on a different site that is at least 1/4 mile away from a residential area (like their own Treanor Report recommends). I have heard of many different businesses and prospects thrown around about what would go great there; my personal favorite would be for someone to develop loft apartments or for Habitat for Humanity to buy it. Other ideas have been a neighborhood grocery/market. Or a Christian school. Or a baseball field. Restaurants. And such a plan could be worked out with the help of the BDC.
Also, you will hear the argument that the jail needs to be near the courthouse because of transport issues. However, a police official, whom I will allow to remain anonymous, stated that transport is NOT an issue because they have to pick these prisoners up all over the county anyway to bring them here. (I think he has possibly done a 180 on this statement). Therefore, there are LOTS of viable sites that do not involve a neighborhood.
The bottom line is that these neighbors went through the proper procedures (months of work to get the formal petition filed), and yet were treated with a different standard than any other neighborhood would have been treated. It is a flagrant example of "unequal weight and measure"; and it shows a weakness in our local government.
Proverbs 29:7
The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.
Proverbs 21:13
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.
Proverbs 19:17
He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.
There is no question that a new jail is a legitimate need for our community. However, the County’s current plans for the jail site involve meeting that legitimate need in an illegitimate way.
Imagine if the county decided to put the jail next to your church or your child’s school; you would not agree with that decision or vote for that site. Now imagine that the county decided to put the jail next to your home. You certainly would have a problem with that site and you would hope and pray that your fellow citizens would support your opposition to such an inappropriate and incompatible addition to your neighborhood.
If Washington County voters approve the new taxes for the jail on June 9th, they will also be approving a jail site that is in the middle of a neighborhood. One family on Oak will literally walk out of their front door, walk across the street, and be on the jail campus. When they sit on their front porch, they will be looking at a jail. May it never be!
If Washington County voters approve the new taxes for the jail on June 9th, what will history say about that decision? Will it be a flagrant example of maltreatment of the poor? Will it be viewed as a discriminatory act against the African-American community? Will it a brazen illustration of the powerful taking advantage of the weak?
I urge Washington County voters to exercise the Golden Rule when you step into the voting booth on June 9th; do to others what you would have them do to you.
Sincerely,
Sonja Settle
After Sonja sent out this email, she received an inquiry about what her solution would be if we all voted no. Here is how she responded:
I think that that is a great question; thank you for taking the time to ask!
First, this problem (what happens if we vote no) would not be a problem if the County had not "jumped the gun" and purchased the property BEFORE it was properly zoned. If they had not done that last year, then when the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission voted down their proposal to rezone for a jail (on May 27th, last year) then the county could have "dusted themselves off" and proceeded with their plans on another site. They quite possibly could have broken ground on something during this past year. Instead, their problem then became the City's (as in City Council) when the County appealed the MAPC decision. The City Council knew it was wrong, which was why they first voted NOT to rezone to allow for the jail. And then they broke their own statute (and the law) when they revoted a week later. And now, here we are -- again . . .
I still say that this problem is THEIRS (the County's) not ours. I believe that they should sell the property and start over with plans on a different site that is at least 1/4 mile away from a residential area (like their own Treanor Report recommends). I have heard of many different businesses and prospects thrown around about what would go great there; my personal favorite would be for someone to develop loft apartments or for Habitat for Humanity to buy it. Other ideas have been a neighborhood grocery/market. Or a Christian school. Or a baseball field. Restaurants. And such a plan could be worked out with the help of the BDC.
Also, you will hear the argument that the jail needs to be near the courthouse because of transport issues. However, a police official, whom I will allow to remain anonymous, stated that transport is NOT an issue because they have to pick these prisoners up all over the county anyway to bring them here. (I think he has possibly done a 180 on this statement). Therefore, there are LOTS of viable sites that do not involve a neighborhood.
The bottom line is that these neighbors went through the proper procedures (months of work to get the formal petition filed), and yet were treated with a different standard than any other neighborhood would have been treated. It is a flagrant example of "unequal weight and measure"; and it shows a weakness in our local government.
Proverbs 29:7
The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.
Proverbs 21:13
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.
Proverbs 19:17
He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Petition - -Move That Jail
Click here to sign the Petition: MOVE THAT JAIL PETITION
Considering the recent jail break that occurred on January 8th, we believe it is imperative for the county jail to be moved away from the current residential neighborhood it is proposed for.This proposed site is not acceptable for the following reasons:
- Safety concerns
- Environmental damage
- Social justice issues
- Traffic problems
- Zoning issues
We, the signers of this petition, call upon the county government to END CONSIDERATION OF A NEW JAIL FACILITY at the Oak and Adams and find a NEW location that will be at least 1/4 of a mile away from all residential neighborhoods.
To sign the petition, please click HERE.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
