Few attend public hearings on proposed sales tax increase for new Lorain County Jail

ELYRIA — Two public hearings Friday on a proposal to put a 0.25 percent sales tax increase on the November ballot to raise $13 million to $14 million annually to pay for a new Lorain County Jail drew almost no members of the public. Only 11 people showed up to the commissioners' meeting room for the back-to-back hearings, at 1 and 1:30 p.m. on the fourth floor of the County Administration Building on Middle Avenue in Elyria. They were two county commissioners, their clerk, an assistant county prosecutor, two Domestic Relations/Juvenile Court staff members, a Sheriff's deputy, three members of the media and one Eaton Township resident. Only Commissioners Marty Gallagher and David Moore were present, as Commissioner Jeff Riddell was excused due to a death in his family. The trio is considering putting a 0.25 percent, 15-year sales tax on the November ballot to raise $142.6 million for a new jail. Lorain County's sales tax is 6.5 percent on eligible purchases. The proposed sales tax increase has a "sunset" clause, meaning it would go away after 15 years. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Leigh Prugh said state law gives commissioners two options to choose from when putting the issue on the ballot. One option could appear on the ballot for "criminal and administrative justice services" while the other could appear for the "construction, equipping or repair" of the jail. Commissioners will choose one, not both. Moore said the commissioners could impose the tax without going to the voters, but he won't do that and won't vote for a tax that doesn't have a sunset clause. "I don't want a forever tax," he said. "The people voted 70-30 (against) for the sheriff on that last year." Moore was talking about a proposed 0.25 percent increase on the November ballot that would have raised $13 million to $14 million annually for Sheriff's Office operations. It failed at the polls. Mike Sherman of Eaton Township, the only member of the public to attend, spoke briefly on the topic at hand. A self-described "strong supporter" of law enforcement, he said he "fully" understood the situation. If a new one is built, he encouraged that it be done using a local workforce. "The reason being, if you wish the support, if you wish support, you need to consider that the people who are paying the tax wish also to build the facility," Sherman said. "Those dollars turn over seven times."Lorain High School and the city of Elyria's new central maintenance garage are examples of projects done locally and done right, he said. The next meetings on the proposed jail tax can be attended or viewed in one of two ways: In person, at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in meeting room B on the fourth floor of the County Administration Building, 226 Middle Ave. in Elyria, with the two planned hearings back-to-back; and Online, livestreamed on the Lorain County commissioners channel on YouTube. The county Jail Advisory Board is made up of the three commissioners, Common Pleas Judge Chris Cook, Sheriff Jack Hall, Clerk of Courts Tom Orlando and Probate Judge James Walther. All agree a new jail is needed for safety, security and liability reasons. Moore said he hoped they would attend Tuesday's hearings. Aug. 5 is the deadline to get the issue on the November ballot. If voters approve the tax increase, construction could start in the spring. The Jail Advisory Board voted June 22 to recommend a $142.6 million, 540-bed, 160,000-square-foot design. Land behind the existing jail on Murray Ridge Road in Elyria has already been selected for the site. The existing jail has 422 beds and was built in 1977. Last updated in the late 1990s, it has heating, cooling, drainage, equipment, security and safety problems, too few cells for women inmates and those with medical problems, the mentally ill and high security risks. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.