The great jail debate
Guilford County will almost surely build a jail in downtown Greensboro. But will you, dear voter, have a say in the matter?
That's what county commissioners will debate early next year after the jail architect unveils the latest and greatest price tag for the project. Officials worry that bond referendum for a new jail will fail, and ever since Greensboro voters OK'd less than half of the bonds this fall, some commissioners have become even more pessimistic.
"I'm afraid that a bond - it wouldn't pass," said Republican Linda Shaw. "What's that going to do? It's going to throw us further behind."
Shaw and others are now leaning toward a payment method called certificates of participation, or COPs. Essentially, it's just a different way to borrow money that charges higher interest, which will make it more expensive to taxpayers.
Estimates show a $100 million jail costing the owner of a $100,000 home an extra $19 annually in county property taxes. (Update after the jump)
The big difference: no voter input required. Commissioners can just go ahead and borrow the money. The jail gets built more quickly that way.
"I do hate to bypass the public vote," said Democrat Kay Cashion, who says she's still open to all options. "But we've got to get this thing done."
But let's say the commissioners choose the bond option. If the referendum fails, the overcrowded conditions at the current jails remain. At that point, commissioners could still go with the COPs plan, though the interest rate might go even higher because of the failed referendum.
Another option is a short-term sales-tax increase. A extra penny on sales tax rate over two years could pretty much pay for the project, Sheriff BJ Barnes has said. But some commissioners see that as regressive, and it would also require state legislative approval.
The key figure in all of this may be new chairman Paul Gibson, who has lobbied for the COPs plan for months. He said Monday that he thinks he can get most commissioners to agree with him.
Said Cashion: "If Paul feels strongly about this, he may get the attention of some others that may be on the fence."
Update: Barnes says he's putting together a list of jurisdictions that have used a sales-tax increase to pay for a jail. Mike Winstead, a Republican commissioner, says he thinks the sales-tax route might be the way to go. We'll keep you posted.