There will likely be a measure for funding a new jail this year. It will amount to just under a dollar/thousand assessed value - which amounts to $10 per month for most homeowners [and renters; unlike tax cuts,tax increases get passed on]. This is a direct result of the [unfunded] mass incarceration measures eagerly passed by voters - oblivious of “other people’s rights” - the past decade and the vile war on drugs. Unfortunately, this spending measure is a bottomless pit . It never was or will be about public safety - it’s about public safety budgets.
Today the United States has 2 million people in prison - larger than all of Europe with nearly twice the population. Are we truly the “land of the free”? This is an increase from little over 200,000 less than 20 years ago. Those in prison are disproportionately poor and nonwhite [them?]. Of those at least 150,000 are innocent even of the government created [otherwise victimless] crimes. The GT has provided scant coverage of the LA police scandal, where over 125 people were illegally set up and convicted of crimes. While dangerous drugs are readily available 7 days/week, 24 hours/day to your children, the likelihood that you - or your children - could get wrongfully convicted goes up.
Voting down this boondoggle is only the first step. We must regulate and control the presently illegal drug market and put scumbag dealers out of business! Then we could lease out our excess jail space for WTO conventions.