Pepper, Portune react to jail news

David Pepper's campaign reads the newspaper.

Pepper, the Democratic challenger to Republican incumbent Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich, issued this press release just before 4 p.m. today.

PEPPER AND PORTUNE PLEDGE NEW JAIL

Early Releases Continue while Heimlich Wastes More Time and Money with Delays and Band-Aid Solutions
Pepper, Portune Would Move Forward Immediately; Use Casino Revenue and Other Resources To Begin Work

(June 2, 2006)- Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune and candidate for Commission David Pepper vow to end the jail crisis once and for all when Pepper is elected to office. For the past 3½ years, Commission President Heimlich has offered no real solution to the ongoing overcrowding crisis, while costing taxpayers money with his band-aid approach. The result: over 9000 prisoners released, and millions of dollars wasted. Pepper and Portune offer a new approach—action.

Along with Sheriff Leis, Portune and Pepper support adding casinos in the City and County as the primary way to pay for new jail space, and would reallocate the other funds necessary to get the job done. Although he’s offered no solution, Heimlich has rejected the casino option.

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer today, despite blowing through half a million dollars in six weeks to send prisoners to Butler County, hundreds of prisoners are still being released early. Now, 9,000 prisoners have been released early under Heimlich’s watch, and he has still not committed to a permanent solution.

As the Sheriff’s spokesman said in the Enquirer—“Sending 200 (inmates) to Butler County doesn’t solve our problem of being overcrowded.”

"No more band-aids, no more press conferences, no more half-promises, no more passing the buck—this just needs to get done,” Portune said. “I’ve been in the minority for almost six years listening to the majority members talk tough about public safety yet oppose, time and time and time again concrete steps to improve it. Enough is enough.”

Pepper added: “Today's report in the Cincinnati Enquirer highlights once again how Phil Heimlich has failed as commission president. For 3 1/2 years, he has known the dangerous consequences of these early releases, and he has done nothing other than hold press conferences and give the issue lip-service."

To save time and avoid further delay, Pepper and Portune called for immediate steps to end the crisis, including
• Initiate the location and engineering analysis for the added jail space, including tabling the decision made by Heimlich to sell county owned property that might be useful for the jail location,
• If that analysis shows that a purchase of property is necessary, swiftly move forward to conclude the siting and purchase of the necessary property,
• Appropriate and reserve out of unallocated county reserves the money necessary to cover capital expenses for the project between now and the anticipated opening of the Broadway Commons Casino, and
• Take initial and necessary steps to begin a bid process.

“We’re committed to adding the necessary space,” Pepper said. “Taking these preliminary steps now shows this—and means no more wasted time later.”

For more information contact Bridget Doherty @ 513-658-0149