I find it a little puzzling that we’re even having this debate.  When the Commission voted to implement a Sales Tax increase in May, we were told that we were facing a jail overcrowding problem RIGHT NOW and that we couldn’t even vote on it because we needed to solve this problem immediately.  Our county jail space was not built to assist the Sheriff’s ability to cultivate a better relationship with federal marshals - [turning to the Marshal] though I respect the work you do and completely understand your situation - those spaces were built for the protection of county residents.  If you are telling us that we have a crisis, RIGHT NOW, then you have no choice but to end this contract and use those spaces to alleviate our alleged overcrowding problem.  You can’t ask us to raise taxes to build more jail spaces if you’re not going to properly utilize the ones you already have.  It’s simple common sense.

This is just the first of several disturbing incidents we’ve learned about this week regarding the Sheriff’s office.  First, as we’re discussing today, the Prosecutor’s office confirmed that these spaces were improperly leased to the federal government.  Last week we learned that Sheriff’s office sent an email to his employees telling them to vote for the Sales Tax increase, and have their friends, family, etc do the same.  And finally, there is photographic evidence that during the Harvest Home parade the Sheriff attached campaign signs on several taxpayer-funded vehicles telling residents to vote for the Sales Tax increase.

These are blatantly unethical and possibly illegal acts.  I don’t blame you Commissioners for acts committed by an independently elected officeholder, however I do expect that you publicly condemn these behaviors and use your bully pulpit to discourage them from being repeated.  My request to the Commission is that you pass a resolution formally asking the County Prosecutor to investigate these potential legal violations.  If you’re going to ask us to trust that you’re serious about solving the crime problem, then we need to trust you to stand up for us when this Sheriff continues to act as if he is above the law.