Four the Future - December 20

The current controversy over the construction of a new Spokane County Jail.

• King County faces glut of jail space
  Source: Seattle Times; December 8, 2010
  Summary: King County has such a large a glut of space in their jail that they are reducing their per inmate fees to the cities in order to stay competitive. This is despite increasing costs.
  
  
  In addition, there are several cities in south King County which are considering the construction of another jail. The council is considering a reduction in the corrections workforce, but the last time the King County Council reduced the number of corrections officers, their union sponsored an initiative to reduce the number of county council members to 9 from 13. If the number of inmates continues to decrease, they will consider closing the Kent jail.
  
• Medical Lake site chosen for jail in 2-1 vote
  Source: Spokesman-Review; September 29, 2010
  Summary: Spokane County Commissioners voted 2-1 (Mielke and Richard in favor, Mager opposed) to adopt the "Medical Lake" site for the new county jail and voted, by the same margin, to declare an emergency to exempt the necessary land use change from the normal comprehensive plan amendment schedule. The site at the I-90 Medical Lake exit was chosen despite two consecutive studies that recommended a site near the county courthouse. Operational costs at the downtown site are lower due to transportation costs. The comprehensive plan will still need to be amended to allow the jail at that location. Sheriff Knezovich said that the downtown jail is overcrowded and the Geiger Corrections Center is unsafe. Spokane County laid off 67 corrections officers this summer due to a reduction in inmate population. Spokane County Commissioners have scheduled a ballot measure for April to raise taxes to build the jail. A group called "No New Jail Project" has been formed to oppose it.
  Opinion: The first time the recommendation favored the downtown site, the same county commissioners (Mielke and Richard) didn't like it. So, they ordered a new study so they could get an answer they liked. But, the second study said the same thing: build it adjacent to the county courthouse. The are significant advantages to having the jail near the courthouse that can't be swept away by simply doing a new study. Not only is it better for transportation issues, but for providing services to the people who are being incarcerated and their families. Also, for those who are not incarcerated but can benefit from the same kinds of family- and community-centered services, having a downtown location is better for them as well.
  
• Jail site choice a crime
  Source: Spokesman-Review; December 16, 2010
  Summary: A letter to the editor by Bart Haggin. The jail shouldn’t be placed out on the West Plains. The transportation costs will be huge. Better, yet, don’t build it at all because "building more jails and prisons to prevent crime is like loosening your belt to prevent obesity."
  Opinion: Since transportation costs escalate faster than general inflation, and the indirect costs of sprawl is also well understood (after all, this new jail will need sewer and water services and new roads, etc.), the 40-year ROI that Mielke and Richard cites is actually not anywhere near that long. In the final calculation, Mielke and Richard are seeking the more expensive option.
  
• County Jail Populations Drop: So What Should We Do?
  Source: American Civil Liberties Union of Washington; December 14, 2010
  Summary: While several King County cities are considering the construction of a new jail and Spokane County will be asking for funding for a new jail in spring 2011, jail populations are going down and jails are experiencing a glut of space. The lessons here are: 1) population forecasts are unreliable, and are determined by policy changes not societal factors; 2) crime rates have been going down for decades, but populations have increased despite it; 3) alternatives to incarceration are working, so investments should be in rehabilitation programs, not new jails.
  Opinion: No one claims to know why there is a drop, but it's acknowledged that a large part is the increased use of rehabilitative programs, rather than merely storage of offenders in little boxes where they can turn bitter and learn the more advanced skills they could not out on the streets. It is easy to conceptualize that separating people from society makes them less connected to society, and less concerned about society's welfare. Keeping them with their families and in society could, for those who can be rehabilitated, reduce recidivism. Ironically, recent cuts reduced the alternatives program in Spokane County. So, who knows, perhaps the Spokane County Commissioners will increase crime enough to need the jail after all.
  

Four the future - December 15

In this edition: Spokane County emergency calls, downtown Spokane parking, Turnbull expansion, and West Plains annexation.

• County testing 'reverse 911'
  Source: Spokesman, 091215
  Summary: Spokane County has a new system which allows them to make automated phone calls to an area in the event of an emergency.
  Opinion: This would have been more useful in the past, when cell phones were a minor part of the communications infrastructure. Younger residents, who tend not to have landlines, will be excluded from this entirely unless they sign up. But, of course, if you needed to sign up, you wouldn't need this system. Since you can't make it useful by reaching everyone, perhaps it could achieve greater market penetration by being for more than just public safety: when there's a public hearing on planning issues in your neighborhood, for instance. Then, it can be more useful, and reach those who otherwise wouldn't be protected. Anyway, I don't think this system will be long for this world simply because the world will move on.


• Tuesday Morning Quarterback
  Source: Spokane Councilmember Jon Snyder, 091215
  Summary: The new plan for downtown Spokane ("Fast Forward Spokane") proposed a ban on stand alone surface parking lots. It was the most controversial issue of the evening but passes 4-3. French, McLaughlin, and Apple voted to remove the ban. Snyder, Corker, Rush and Shogan voted to sustain it.
  Opinion: This ban was a long time in coming. One of the more tragic things that has happened across America was the "suburbanization of downtown." Other cities have moved to reverse it and have been handsomely rewarded. This was an excellent move toward strengthening downtown Spokane. Just a few days ago, this might not have happened. This is the new coalition coming into its own. With the addition of Waldref to replace French, Spokane might actually have a council that cares about the neighborhoods and downtown all at the same time. How refreshing!


• Federal budget allots $1.5 million to expand Turnbull refuge
  Source: Spokesman, 091217
  Summary: The federal government has allocated $1.5 million for property acquisitions near Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. It is intended to purchase about 500 acres of the 12,000 acres identified as priorities. Turnbull's wetlands is threatened by nearby residential wells which lower the water table and phosphorus from septic systems which cause algae blooms. There has been increasing public awareness of Turnbull's ecological importance. The history is described.
  Opinion: First, wetlands can't be moved, and certainly not ones of this magnitude. There are geological reasons why one place is a wetland and another is not. Second, the Federal government should have a partner in Spokane County, but without cash consequences associated with the expansion of the urban growth boundary, critical lands will continue to be lost. Third, good on the feds to recognize Turnbull's importance. I've been working on a project in Cheney which might help increase public awareness even more in a way that will improve Cheney's economy as well. It's no coincidence that green is the color of nature and money.


• Annex This!
  Source: Inlander, 091217
  Summary: The article itself is a summary of the maze of deals between Spokane County, the City of Spokane, the City of Airway Heights, and Fire District 10 for the annexation of the West Plains. However, the map and article don't seem to be on the web site.
  Opinion: Spokane County better get its house in order. Its long term failure to correct the balance between its revenues and expenses bit them before. It got its first warning in 2001 with the incorporation of Liberty Lake, then a stern rebuke with the incorporation of Spokane Valley in 2003. In two years it will get worse with the loss of the airport and its environs. Next up: the North Spokane Urban Growth Area.