Smith County Judge Schedules Another Jail Plan Presentation
By ROY MAYNARD
Staff Writer
Smith County Judge Joel Baker has scheduled another presentation of the plans for a new jail facility, and says he's happy with the response so far. Today, the Commissioners Court will receive the presentation in a 3:30 p.m. meeting that's open to the public.
Staff Writer
Smith County Judge Joel Baker has scheduled another presentation of the plans for a new jail facility, and says he's happy with the response so far. Today, the Commissioners Court will receive the presentation in a 3:30 p.m. meeting that's open to the public.
"We invite anyone who wants to hear the plan," says Baker, who developed the proposal with the help of state Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, Tyler business leader Bobby Curtis and Commissioner JoAnn Fleming. Wednesday's agenda calls for no action on the part of the Commissioners Court. It's just a presentation, and includes time for public comment.
The meeting will take place at 3:30 p.m. in the commissioners courtroom of the Smith County Courthouse Annex, 200 E. Ferguson St.
Baker says he's received positive feedback on the jail plan, which was revealed last week.
"People have stopped me at church and on the street," Baker says. "There's a very different feel to it this time. People are very positive. They say it's the best proposal they've seen so far."
The $59.6 million bond proposal, which could go before voters in November, calls for 694 new beds in a jail tower adjacent to the existing downtown jail. Administrative offices would be built next to the new tower.
The plan calls for keeping 708 existing jail beds, at both the downtown jail and the Low Risk facility near the northwest corner of U.S. Highway 69 and Loop 323. The jail tower would include 694 new beds, for a total of 1,402 beds.
The bonds would be paid for through an increase in the county's property tax rate. According to figures from the First Southwest Company, the bond package would add 2.375 cents to the county's current tax rate of 28.8940 cents per $100 in property valuation. That's an increase of about 8.2 percent.
The average home in Smith County is valued at $131,899. The tax bill for such a home would increase by $31.33 per year, from $381.11 to $412.44. Smith County voters have rejected jail propositions recently, however. In 2006, they voted down two separate plans, one for a $75 million remote jail facility, and the other an $83 million downtown jail.
In 2007, they rejected a $125 million downtown criminal justice complex.
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