SCOTT COUNTY TO VOTE ON TWO TAX MEASURES

BENTON -- Scott County's presiding commissioner and sheriff both think additional funding is needed for law enforcement services.

Scott County voters will decide April 4 if they agree.

The county has two sales tax increases on the ballot -- 0.25 percent for funding general operations and 0.25 percent for building a new jail.

Presiding Commissioner Bob Kielhofner said the first measure would help to provide additional services relating to public safety in the sheriff's department, jail operations, prosecuting attorney's office, the juvenile office and the coroner.

Each of the proposed tax increases is expected to generate $670,000 a year. The additional tax would amount to 25 cents on a $100 purchase.

The county's public safety budget for 1995 amounts to $1.128 million. The expected $670,000 from the sales tax would increase funds available for law enforcement services by 59.3 percent.

"The proposed tax could fund lots of law enforcement services in the county," Kielhofner said, with the idea being to spread the money to strengthen all areas of law enforcement.

The sheriff's department and the jail, because they are the major budget expenses, would probably receive most of the additional funding, he said, adding that the juvenile office, which is budgeted at $229,000, also needs additional funds to meet the rising cost of holding juvenile delinquents in other area facilities.

Kielhofner said plans for a new county jail will be considered at Tuesday's commission meeting.

Preliminary estimates to build a new jail with 120 beds and the ability to add another 30 are between $3.75 million and $4.5 million, Kielhofner said. Plans are to build a jail just to the south and west of the existing one.

Sheriff Bill Ferrell said he isn't planning a jail with all the niceties for the inmates, but one that will allow for more prisoners and some specific needs.

One of those needs is the ability to segregate violent and non-violent prisoners, Ferrell said. With no ability now to classify prisoners, a person serving a 48-hour sentence for driving with a revoked license may be put into a cell with another inmate facing more serious charges.

For another example, Ferrell said a woman stopped on the interstate who can't make bail might have to spend time in jail with another woman who is considered dangerous.

The chances of injury to the non-violent prisoner are too great in those cases, Ferrell said, adding that he has no choice now but to put all types of prisoners together.

With a larger jail, Ferrell said some of those charged with crimes might be placed on a higher bail and kept off the streets until their court dates. This would stop an burglary suspect, for instance, from committing another crime while waiting for his court date on the first charge.

Several county prisoners are being held every day in other area jails, Ferrell said. A new jail, designed to handle a growing prisoner population, would considerably reduce the county's cost in having to transport and hold inmates at area jails.