Statement from Sen. Paul Wieland Regarding the Creation of Blue Ribbon Panel to Improve the Jefferson County Jail
JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Paul Wieland, R-Imperial, today issued the following statement relating to the need to update the Jefferson County Jail:
“To many of our citizens, it may seem that our government is broken, especially here in Jefferson County where recently there have been lawsuits, restraining orders, threats of government shutdowns and excessive legal actions- all on the taxpayer’s dime. So today I’m releasing some good news to bring to everyone’s attention an example of how government can work and accomplish positive things for our county.
Earlier this session, I reached out to members of the County Council and members of the county administration to find out what the greatest needs of our county are. The response was consistent: an updated courthouse and jail.
Throughout session, I continued to learn more about the need for a new courthouse. Our courthouse was built in 1863 when we had a population of 10,334. The courthouse was updated in 1893, 1954 and 1975 when the county experienced a growth in population from 22,400 to 105,000. Today, some 225,000 citizens call Jefferson County home.
The Jefferson County Jail, meanwhile, was built in 1991 after a federal judge ordered the county to replace a cramped facility then housed on the second floor of the courthouse. The jail was built as a 116-bed facility and quickly proved inadequate and was later expanded to 334 beds. Sheriff Marshak recently told me that our jail houses around 370 inmates. The question today is when the next lawsuit will come.
This year, the Missouri General Assembly addressed a need that was much more widespread, the need for a statewide 911 system. Among other things, this legislation called for a 3 percent tax on all prepaid cellular devices to help fund this effort.
About ten years ago, the citizens of Jefferson County had the forethought to pass a 911 tax, and, as a result, the amount of money generated for 911 use in Jefferson County is one of the highest in the state. Last year alone, our county 911 system received over $10 million in revenue from our citizens.
The thought of our citizens paying an additional tax to cover the parts of the state that were too stubborn or too cheap to pay for their own 911 made me sick. I worked with the sponsors and handlers of House Bill 1456 to find a way to keep our taxes in Jefferson County.
We agreed on compromise language that will allow the Department of Revenue to return the bulk of that 3 percent tax to Jefferson County. Estimates are that this revenue will amount up to about $960,000 a year and should start flowing into the county late next spring and continue for at least four years. The total amount of revenue generated should be up to about $3.8 million.
After discussing the needs of the county with the current county elected officials, I am convinced that the jail is the greater need at this time. While there is no doubt that the courthouse needs attention, no one I spoke with mentioned any threats of lawsuits or legal action that would force the county to make the judges’ offices or courtrooms more comfortable.
The improvements to the jail are the real and present threat to the fiscal stability of our county. That is why when we drafted the language in HB 1456 we specifically referred to “public safety infrastructure.”
With that definition we hoped to convey to the County Council and future county executive that the intent of this legislation is to aid in upgrading or a constructing a new jail facility, but left flexibility to address other pressing security concerns.
Typically, I am reluctant to increase government revenue, but in this case, there was both a unique opportunity and a definite need. With this revenue stream in place, I am demanding that the taxpayers are given the greatest amount of transparency and accountability on how these dollars are spent.
So today, I am announcing that I have assembled a “blue ribbon panel” that will study the situation and make a recommendation in January to Dennis Gannon, the new county executive.
This panel will include both elected officials and candidates. Elected officials include: County Circuit Clerk Mike Reuter, who will serve as the Chairman; Council Chairman Don Bickowski; Councilman Jim Terry; Sheriff Dave Marshak and Judge Wes Yates. Candidates include Eric Robinson (Auditor), Jeremy Day (County Clerk) and Mary-Courtney Manus (Associate Circuit Judge).
I’m excited that these individuals have agreed to spend their time and talents to explore the current situation with no compensation or costs to the citizens of our county.
I pledge to continue to work with the legislature to help find and secure additional funding for the courthouse in the future.”
Please visit Sen. Wieland’s official Missouri Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov/wieland.