Why the Tax Plan is Wrong for Hamilton County We Demand a Better Plan Why the Tax Plan is Wrong for Hamilton County

Who is in the County Jail? County correctional facilities house only misdemeanor offenders, and felony offenders awaiting trail 42% are traffic offenders 80% are awaiting trial, up from 37% in 1999 (Source: Vera Institute Report – July 31, 2006)

The Myth of Early Releases Since Butler County inmate housing began in 2006, early releases are at their lowest levels since 1996 (Source: 3/12/2007 Sheriff’s Department Document) No male inmates have been released in 2007 100 unused spaces in Butler County each day

The Myth of Early Releases

The County Tax Crisis Hamilton County will have the highest sales tax rate of any of its neighboring Counties.

The County Tax Crisis Hamilton County has the 2nd highest property tax burden of the 88 counties in Ohio Hamilton County has more special levies than all 88 Ohio Counties The tax burden on County residents could increase as new levies go on the ballot this November

An Expensive “Solution” $777,000,000.00 More than 2 ½ times as expensive as last year’s plan Includes no property tax relief

An Expensive “Solution” Hamilton County’s new facility will cost $110,000.00 per new jail bed Other recent jail expansions Butler County - $47,619 per jail bed (2002) Clermont County - $50,925 per jail bed (2006) Warren County - $27,777 per jail bed (2004) Campbell County - $27,343 per jail bed (2005) Kenton County - $66,666 per jail bed (estimate)

How Many New Spaces? Current Capacity Queensgate: 822 Justice Center: 1244 Queensgate: 822 Reading Road: 150 Turning Point: 60 Butler County: 400 2676 Spaces

How Many New Spaces? Capacity Under the New Tax Plan: New facility: 1816 Justice Center: 1244 3060 Spaces 3060 minus 2766 = 384 Net New Available Spaces

How Many New Spaces? Federal Inmate Housing The Portune/Pepper/Leis Plan calls for the housing of 184 federal prisoners in the first year of operations. Further reduces the amount of new available jail beds to 200

Is Public Safety a Priority? The Commission Majority has refused spending reductions that could have provided hundreds of thousands of dollars for public safety purposes annually $75,000.00 - Cincinnati Film Commission $30,300.00 - Reverse Commute $220,000.00 - Tuition Reimbursement $289,000.00 - HIP funding $245,000.00 - Unnecessary Personnel $250,000.00 - Out of School Initiative

Is Public Safety a Priority? The Commission Majority has refused to enact other reforms that could provide Millions of Dollars in funding for public safety efforts 100,000 annually – Managed Competition- Fleet Servicing $2,200,000 annually- Court Technology Upgrades $87,000,000 – Transient Occupancy Tax Surplus