Dems: "think carefully" before signing referendum petition

It's no secret the Hamilton County Democratic Party supported Commissoners Todd Portune and David Pepper (both Democrats) when they increased the county sales tax to pay for a safety plan that includes a new jail.

Now the party is going a step further by telling its flock to "think carefully about the consequences" of signing a referendum petition.

"Democrats should stand behind our commissioners and not support a costly and counter productive effort to place this issue on the November ballot," stated Party Chair Tim Burke and Executive Director Caleb Faux in an e-mail last week.

Here's the full text:


Dear Supporter,

There has been much discussion over recent days about the decision of County Commissioners Todd Portune and David Pepper to enact the new Comprehensive Safety Plan. This decision, while controversial among some, is a courageous choice to tackle a difficult problem with a well thought out and thorough solution.

There are some who believe this issue should have been presented to the voters as a ballot measure and are now soliciting petition signatures to do exactly that. We urge voters to think carefully about the consequences of doing that and also to understand the value of what our Commissioners have done. Democrats should stand behind our Commissioners and not support a costly and counter productive effort to place this issue on the November ballot.

Why? Here are just a few of the reasons.



1. An Intelligent Approach to Justice - The Safety Plan enacted goes well beyond merely the provision of new jail space. Much of it is directed at programs designed to reduce crime and to reduce the number (70%) of offenders who wind up returning to jail at some later date. This is a huge improvement over past policies and should be supported as consistent with the values of the Democratic Party. There should be more to a justice system than simply locking people up.

2. Replacement of Inefficient and Inadequate Existing Jail Space - Nearly 2/3rds of the jail space to be constructed under the plan replaces very inadequate and possibly dangerous space now in use. It also replaces space now being rented in Butler County at great cost and funded by a rainy day fund which is about to run out. Its time to do the job right instead of using a patchwork of band aide solutions as the Republicans have done in the past.

3. Honest Cost Efficiency - Unlike previous proposals (and other proposals now in circulation), the Commissioner's plan is honest in that it includes both construction funds and operating funds. Last year's Heimlich/Dewine Plan provided no funds for operation, it financed construction through long term debt (leading to huge interest payments) and failed to consolidate multiple facilities leading to much higher long term operating costs. In the long run, the newly enacted plan will save the taxpayers Hamilton County nearly $450 million that would eventually be spent otherwise.

4. Meeting The County's Obligation - The County Commissioners do not decide who and how many people shall be housed in the County's jails. Those decisions are made by elected Judges and the City and County prosecutor's offices. Legally, the County is required by statute to provide adequate jail space. If the County fails to provide the space needed to house offenders, the County Commissioners can and probably would be sued and in the end, a Court would order the County to construct new jail space. The nature and configuration of that jail space would then be decided not by our Democratic Commissioners but by a Judge (probably Republican) and the County Sherriff who would bring the suit. Refusing to fund the needed construction (as have Republicans for many years) will not prevent its construction. It will simply shift the decision making to other parties.

5. $2 million per month, the cost of delay-- Delaying the implementation of the Safety Plan by placing it on the ballot will cost Hamilton County taxpayers as much as $2 million per month, money which can be spent in much more productive ways.



Our County Commissioner's have stepped up to the plate and made an intelligent and thoughtful decision as they were elected to do, a decision that can easily be misrepresented. Such decisions deserve our support as a demonstration that good public policy will be supported by the voters. To do otherwise supports the sort of bad decision making based on short term appearances that we have seen in the past. It is time for a change in Hamilton County.

Much greater detail regarding the Safety Plan can be found here.



Tim Burke, Chair , Hamilton County Democratic Party

Caleb Faux, Executive Director, Hamilton County Democratic Party