County Commissioners Talk About Financial Strain On Criminal Justice System

8/15/17 – 10:48 A.M.

The Hancock County Commissioners continued to lay out their case for additional sales tax dollars Tuesday. Commissioner Tim Bechtol said the cost of housing inmates in other counties continues to increase…

Audio:Tim Bechtol

Bechtol says every arrest adds to the problem. For example, when Findlay police arrested a high-speed chase subject last Friday, the jail staff had to shuffle inmates around to make room for the most recent arrest.

Commissioner Mark Gazarek says he’s talked about the issue with a lot of people since then. He says it’s important for people to know the extra quarter-percent for a jail expansion and new county office building would also help deal with increasing criminal justice costs…

Audio:Mark Gazarek

Gazarek says the costs for the public defender’s office also continues to rise. In all, Gazarek says each arrest can affect up to nine different county agencies. He says passing the sales tax issue would help ease that problem.

Commissioner Brian Robertson says the jail expansion committee represents more than just Hancock County…

Audio:Brian Robertson

Robertson says having 30 people from different backgrounds is critical in drumming up support for the sales tax issue.

Robertson says the board of corrections recently reviewed a resolution to reinstate the jail expansion committee. The commissioners passed a resolution to bring back the committee earlier this year.