Pubdate: Mon, 25 Mar 2002
Source: Waukesha Freeman (WI)
Copyright: 2002 The Waukesha Freeman
Contact: (262) 542-8259
Website: http://www.freemanol.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/770
Author: Jim Hilden

JAIL EXPANSION OPPOSITION SHOULD MAKE SOME NOISE

It seems fruitless to be in opposition to a jail expansion because it is 
like a tree in the forest - many are falling but nobody in the county or 
city leadership position can hear, or maybe they do hear and choose to 
ignore all the warnings. Here are a few:

* Just this week I heard statements that 90 percent of prisoners are drug 
and alcohol related, many in need of mental care. The new jail will not 
only be a place of incarceration but also a medical facility and vocational 
center, duplicating services already available.

* The county jail also becomes a weekend hotel for bar fights and 
disorderly conduct (40 on my visit), only to be arraigned Monday morning 
and released for a trial date. Maybe towns, villages and cities should 
lodge them at a much cheaper cost.

* The zero tolerance policy, which is filling our jails, needs to be 
examined when it gets to the point of incarcerating the criminal behavior 
of failure to return late library books.

* Thirty percent of our prisoners come from outside the county when there 
are prisons sitting empty. Why should we be the dumping ground for 
Milwaukee County's problems?

* There is a decline occurring in prison population which would seem like 
this is not the time to be looking at a $60 million expansion when a state 
budget is calling for everyone to tighten their belts. It is time to stop 
looking at incarceration as a revenue-generating business at the expense of 
the taxpayers and return to the purpose for which they were created.

We do not need to reduce our revenue by throwing people out of their homes 
and eliminating a revenue-producing golf course which not only generates 
the operating costs of Moore Downs, but spills profits over to the other 
county golf courses.

Finally, here are the words of Mayor Paul Vrakas in 1972 when the golf 
course was negotiated to the county for the forgiveness of taxes to the 
city of Waukesha: "The county, in addition to acquiring additional office 
space at a good price, which is in the interest of all who reside in the 
county, our residents included, will also be adding a fine nine-hole golf 
course to the county system. Our municipality, of course, will directly 
benefit because of the location of the course. The continuation of 60 acres 
of open green space within the community is a benefit to those who do not 
use the golf course, as well as to those who do."

Contrary to articles in the newspapers, not all aldermen sign on to what is 
perceived as a "done deal" by the mayor and county executive.

Alderman Jim Hilden

Waukesha
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens