NO NEW JAIL NEEDED

Well, it has been a long time since I have posted anything on this site. I was hoping that this site would no longer be needed to the extent that it was when I launched it. However, I was wrong. Judge Voegele and the Fiscal Court are not using common sense in operating our county government.

First, Judge Voegele promised to reduce the Insurance Premium tax and he promised to not to build a new jail. To date there has been no initiative on the part of Judge Voegele to reduce the tax and now Fiscal court appears to be seriously considering the construction of a new jail. Judge Voegele has not openly opposed the idea. The issue of the Insurance Premium Tax is very simple – Judge Voegele failed to keep a campaign promise.

Actually the issue of a new jail is just about as simple. It is a stupid idea with no merit. According to Jailer Mike Simpson the average population of the jail by inmates from Oldham County is 40 per day. The simple solution is to close our jail and house the inmates in another county. This action would save a lot of money in the form of salaries, building maintenance, and money that would be necessary to construct a new facility. That might lead to Mike Simpson losing his job. However, he has been receiving a pension in addition to his regular salary for years which should have allowed him to be in better financial condition than the average Oldham County employee. There would be other employees involved. There would be a need for additional Sheriff’s deputies to transport prisoners. Perhaps those current jail employees who are qualified could be hired as deputies to perform that work.

The present jail is large enough to house Oldham County prisoners and that is all that the county should consider. To attempt to get into the business of housing prisoners for profit is absolutely absurd. The county tried to get into the real estate business when it bought the property for Oldham reserve and that was a big mistake. To get into the business of housing prisoners would also be a mistake. The purpose of the government is to provide necessary services for the people – not to be a profit making business.

The three magistrates on the jail committee should reconsider what they are doing. Magistrates Bob Dye and JD Sparks claimed to be for smaller government and both beat opponents who had raised taxes in the county. Now they want to spend 19 million dollars to build a new jail that is not necessary. Where do they have their heads? Magistrate Steve Greenwell is running for Circuit Court Clerk. Does he expect people to elect him to that office when he wants to grow government?

The problem is that the county government has more money coming in than it needs and it has to find a place to spend it rather than give it back to the people. It is time for the people to demand the return of their money or to begin looking for new candidates. It is that simple.

The “watchdog” is back!