Election officers in Washington and Benton Counties don’t anticipate lengthy strains or lengthy waits regardless of 4 Constitutional Modification questions and an area concern of voting for a gross sales tax for county jails.
The much-publicized quartet of questions, three from the Normal Meeting and one of many voters initiatives, have been effectively mentioned on this house. The one one this author provides voters a trigger to pause and ponder your individual opinion with is Situation 4 — the leisure marijuana concern.
Points 1, 2, and three are straightforward. All ought to be voted down. No. No. No.
All these three usually are not obligatory and are even doubtlessly unlawful and expensive to the state additional down the highway.
However the counties in Northwest Arkansas — Washington, Benton and Madison — all have voting points on the poll regarding increasing or constructing new jail amenities.
All three have an effect on a brief gross sales tax — some backing bonds to facilitate the development of those extra buildings — which have an effect on your pockets Mr. and Mrs. Voter.
All three of the jails are overcrowded — little doubt in regards to the concern.
All three have procedures within the courtroom system, the place there are folks incarcerated who’re too poor to pay their bails or those that merely would reasonably sit in jail than make amends for a delinquent visitors quotation, pay their little one help or face the legal cost they’ve been accused of.
There are workable options to this bail downside, however sadly, the native prosecutor, sheriff, police chief, for native mayors can’t repair with out assist through legal guidelines, procedures, and funding from the state legislature.
And that is the underside line.
So, a sheriff with a jail full of people that can’t or is not going to make a easy money bond till a trial date has little lee-way in who’s and isn’t within the jail — by legislation — he’s in command of operating.
Voters might be requested two questions on jail growth in Washington County. One requested for a 0.25% gross sales tax to be levied till a $113.5 million greenback bond will be bought and proceeds of that sale be used to increase the county jail including new jail beds and extra courtroom areas and any extra constructing areas, parking tons and so forth., to complete the projected challenge.
Voters on a separate concern might be requested to think about at $28.5 million concern to increase, construct, workers and equip a brand new juvenile courtroom facility and juvenile jail. This could possibly be along with the one at present overcrowded close to the identical facility on the south Fayetteville campus close to the county jail advanced.
Benton County voters are being requested to approve an identical concern to increase their county jail.
Madison County voters are being requested to think about constructing a brand new jail facility and or increasing the one now operated close to the courthouse in downtown Huntsville.
Once more, critics of all three of this concern, say streamlining bail procedures, consumption limits, legal expenses or non-violent points, can eradicate the necessity for added jails being constructed.
Nonetheless, it appears, it’s quicker to construct jail amenities than to attend on the costs in state legislation to make jails much less obligatory.
On the municipal entrance, there are some cities with some or just a few municipal races scattered throughout the poll.
The county election officers are prepared for the Early Vote, begins Oct. twenty fourth and can proceed till Nov. seventh. Reminder, all early polling facilities shut at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. seventh.
All polling areas (now known as polling facilities) might be open at 7:30 a.m. on election day and shut at 7:30 p.m.
— Maylon Rice is a former journalist who labored for a number of northwest Arkansas publications. He will be reached through electronic mail at [email protected] The opinions expressed are these of the creator.
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