The Cost of the Jail and a Republican Board | Eastern North Carolina Now

    The majority of the Beaufort County Commissioners have indicated they will raise taxes and borrow the money to build a new jail. I do not dispute the need for a new jail provided the entire law enforcement and judicial system agree to become more aggressive in eliminating, drugs, alcohol abuse, thievery and all forms of criminal activity. To date, I have not heard a strong enough commitment from these people.

    The cost of the jail will be an estimated twenty million dollars. There are a lot of price variables. Borrowing the money with a 30 year pay out will cost us about 1.6 million dollars per year. That is a three cent increase in taxes which brings our rate to fifty six cents per hundred dollars of valuation. That is a six percent increase in addition to the six percent the Gang of Five put on us last year. Should the sales tax increase pass it will get worse.
Beaufort County Commissioner Hood Richardson speaks to the folks who care to understand at a candidates forum at Beaufort County Community College, April 2, 2012: Above.     photo by Stan Deatherage
    Let us presume a Republican dominated board without the RINO'swould try to save money by reducing the cost of Beaufort County government by at least enough to make the payment on the jail. We now spend about fifty three million dollars each year. The cost of the jail could be reduced by building the jail at the court house, not building the sheriff a new palace, and not building he sheriff a gymnasium. The cost of the payment can be found in tightening up the cost of operations, redefining how we divide sales tax money, and eliminating those pay offs some commissioners are using to buy votes with. The savings are there in a lot of places.

    This kind of thinking will not happen with the liberal Gang of Five. There are five Republican candidates running for commissioner who are capable of accomplishing this. They, in addition to myself, are in alphabetical order: Gary Brinn, Donnie Dixon, Rick Gagliano, and Tony Keech. I invite the Democrat Commissioners and candidates to join us in pledging to build the jail without raising taxes.