JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ohio --
With costs rising at the Jefferson County Justice Center the sheriff said he may soon have to start turning prisoners away -- unless the taxpayers can help.
The jail not only brings in local prisoners, but has contracts with several surrounding counties. Since 1999 it generated $7.1 million. But as costs rise to keep the jail running, Sheriff Fred Abdalla said he needs taxpayer support, or he’ll have to shut part of it down.
It takes about $2.8 million to run the jail each year – a number that Abdalla said goes up every year.
Back in 1993 a levy passed that generates $1.5 million -- $500,000 allocated to the juvenile court and detention center, and $1 million to the jail.
That is not enough to keep things going according to the sheriff. He said they are in danger of turning prisoners away if voters don’t pass a new levy.
"If you can afford $5 month, $60 a year, I'm asking for your support. To some it's not much, to others it’s a lot if you don't have it. But it’s in the hands of the people," said Abdalla.
The new levy would generate $3 million -- $1 million would go to juvenile and $2 million for the jail.
"If it fails, we're going to have to cut the population in half. Then layoffs," said Abdalla.
They would have to cut the number of prisoners from 135 per day to 60 and they would close down sections of jail.
Abdalla said this would hurt Steubenville the most because they have the most prisoners. It would cost them up to $500,000 alone to transfer their inmates. Layoffs would be inevitable, according to Abdalla.
"I’m not going to hurt the deputy side, the protection of the people, because of this jail. It’s just not going to happen. The thing is, when they arrest these people we have to have a place to put them," said Abdalla.
The levy will be up for a vote next month.
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