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Chamber backs jail bond issue

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By the Lincoln Journal Star

Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 11:56:08 am CDT

The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce has thrown its support publicly behind a bond issue to finance a new county jail.

Voters next Tuesday will be asked to authorize the Lancaster County Board to issue up to $65 million in bonds, to be repaid within 26 years, to finance a new jail.

Kyle Fischer, the chamber’s public policy specialist, appeared before the County Board on Tuesday, to convey the chamber board’s support of that financing plan.

“Just to make it clear … it’s not a resolution of support for the need for a new jail,” he said.

The business organization didn’t feel that was within its purview, he said, but business leaders did feel their experience with capital projects gave them opportunity to weigh in on the jail’s financing.

County commissioners have said if the vote fails they are prepared to select another financing plan, one that doesn’t require voter approval and is not as advantageous to property taxpayers

The new jail is under design and construction is expected to begin early next year.


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stignob wrote on May 6, 2008 12:35 pm:
" So the people vote no and the gubermint still decides what's best for us. What happen to when the people were suppose to be in charge of the govt.? Not the other way around? "A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."
-Thomas Jefferson
"

 Late ODay wrote on May 6, 2008 1:52 pm:
" If the Chamber o' Commerce is for it -- I'm ag'in it. "

 D B wrote on May 6, 2008 2:06 pm:
" We aren't REALLY voting at all on a Bond Issue. The jail WILL be built regardless of voter approval. Lincolnites are only voting on how long the payments are going to take. Let's see... $78 million over 10 years (young voters) or $103.4 million over 25 years (older voters). What difference does this really make? OUR vote means nothing in this process. "

 prison-industrial complex wrote on May 6, 2008 2:30 pm:
" Of course a new jail is being built, and of course we have no say.

There are quickly increasing rates of incarceration nationwide for nonviolent, less serious offenders. What else are the taxpayers going to get but a huge bill if we continue to call for the incarceration of nonviolent drug offenders and others who pose little danger to the public?

We've got to change the policy. "

 Hank wrote on May 6, 2008 2:59 pm:
" We don't need this jail. There are too many people in jail as it is. If we build this, we'll just fill it up with more people for non-violent crimes and for cruelly long periods of time for other assorted offenses. But what do we care, most of the people we'll put in the new jail will have dark skin and foreign accents. And doesn't it provide great jobs for those who don't qualify for the police force? What would we do with $65 million anyway. "

 Bill wrote on May 6, 2008 5:17 pm:
" I don't like being threatened by the County Board. "If you don't vote for this, we'll find another way to make you pay for it without a vote."

How do we stop a runaway board from going against our wishes? How do we slow down the spending by LPS and the City? Is there ever going to be a chance for property tax relief? "

 Joe wrote on May 6, 2008 9:16 pm:
" To answer your last question Bill, sadly, probably not in our lifetime. "

 Mark wrote on May 7, 2008 5:55 am:
" Can you believe the arrogance of our county commisioners? If you don't vote our way we will do it anyways, and we will make it worse for you. What is this, a dictatorship? "

 One Way wrote on May 7, 2008 8:28 am:
" to help stop runaway spending is the lessen the population base. If there are no people to pay for it, they can't spend it. I got out five years ago and even smile when I pay my tax bill now. It's all because it is only a third of what I would pay in Lincoln. Where I now live it is a STATE law that any new taxes and I mean ANY has to be approved by the taxpyers on a vote. There is no back door way to stick it to the taxpayers. "

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