Voters get third vote on tax bill for Jackson County Jail

By Ken Wyatt

Commissioner Earl Poleski, just back from a special county commission meeting Monday morning, reported to aldermen that they can expect to see a .25-mill proposal on the ballot on Nov. 5. The proposal will be smaller, shorter and more targeted — and it will not include any funding for the county jail construction.

Poleski joked in his presentation in Pulaski Township, “We've had to live with Wesley Street for some time now.” By that, he meant that the new proposal only affects prison operations. Without funds for prison operations, the failure of the two previous prison tax proposals would mean a $1.5 million budget shortfall.

For this reason, the County Council voted unanimously to ask taxpayers for the authority to levy 0.25 per thousand for the next ten years. If voters approve, the tax would raise $1.5 million in the first year.

And, he stressed, none of the proceeds would go toward building new prisons — neither the old Wesley Street prison nor the newer facility on Chanter Road in Blackman Township. The proceeds are for operating purposes only.

The first two proposals – one for 1.5 per thousand in 2022 and the other for 0.9 per thousand in the August primary – would have provided revenue to build new prison facilities and operate them. The big change in the new proposal is that it no longer includes any construction plans.

Jackson County Sheriff's Deputy Larry Jacobson said he expects the sheriff's department to gradually move away from non-emergency calls. Poleski added his own thoughts on the matter — he suggested at the Pulaski board meeting that communities that have contracted for police services (Concord, for example) should continue to receive the services they pay for. As for other towns and communities, they may well be more inclined to contract for police services with the department.

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1105: County Commissioner Earl Poleski reports to the Pulaski Town Council on Monday about the council's decision to impose another prison tax on voters in the Nov. 5 election.