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The Cincinnati Beacon
County Supports Legislation To House Prisoners in Kentucky
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Posted by Media Release
 Photo courtesy of here.
But Safety Plan Is Necessary to Fund Both Temporary, Permanent Solutions
Echoing meetings they have had in recent weeks, Hamilton County Commissioners Todd Portune and David Pepper today continued to express support for state efforts that will allow them to rent jail beds across the river, including legislation being announced today.
Several weeks ago, Commission President Portune met personally with Ohio Governor Strickland to request authority for Hamilton County to rent beds in Kentucky, and the Governor indicated he would be helpful. Portune and Pepper have also made their support for such legislation known to members of the local state delegation, including at their County meeting last week. They plan to pass a resolution to that effect at tomorrow’s County Commission meeting.
“Of course we would like to explore the least costly temporary solutions, whether they are in Kentucky or Ohio, as we build a permanent facility,” Pepper said. “We support any change that will allow us to do that.”
After Campbell County communicated that it had 100 vacant beds (at a rate lower than the Butler County rate negotiated by the prior County majority), the County immediately explored if it was legally possible to house prisoners there. The Prosecutor concluded that it would take express permission from state officials to do so. Commissioner Portune quickly followed up with Governor Strickland to initiate the process of such a change, and the Commission also notified legislators that they support that change.
Neither Campbell County, nor Butler County, should be viewed as an alternative to the broader need to build a permanent solution to jail overcrowding in Hamilton County. Funding for any temporary rental solutions (in any County) runs out in December, and can only continue if the Safety Levy on the ballot passes. Moreover, both the Butler and Campbell County leaders indicate that they will only be able to offer their beds in the short-run. In the long run, they will need these beds for their own prisoners.
“These rental situations are all stopgap solutions,” Pepper said. “While they help us in the short run, in the long run, they cost a lot of money, and don’t solve the problem. Proposing only short-term band-aid solutions with no long-term plan is exactly why we are where are today-out of money, out of space, and out of time.”
Press release from David Pepper’s office.
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