As a citizen and taxpayer and, hopefully, the future Kankakee County Board Member in District 2, I believe it is my responsibility to inform the public about the recent approval of a contract to bring Cook County prisoners to the Kankakee County jail.
The biggest concern, aside from the fact that our current District 2 Board member voted “yes” to the contract, is that the contract was actually signed 20 days before getting the required board approval. Sheriff Tim Bukowski and Kankakee County Board Chairman Karl Kruse signed the contract July 19, and began importing these criminals, yet the board did not see the contract until August 8, when it was approved by a narrow 11-10 margin.
Our District 2 Board Member apparently had no problem with the sheriff and board chairman ignoring the rules to force the housing of these hardened criminals upon the citizens of Kankakee County.
As if this is not farcical enough, this whole episode makes a mockery of the board and the rules governing our county. That our Board Member was so willing to abdicate his responsibility to the people and go along with this leads one to wonder who he represents.
With a one-vote winning margin, our Board Member’s vote opened the doors wide to this risky program. It is apparent that he has more allegiance to the free-spending sheriff and a county board chairman who choose to ignore the state’s attorney’s advice, and to ignore what is in the best interests of the people of District 2 and Kankakee County.
We will be forced to deal with these prisoners. Not in our community, of course, because the bad guys and gals will be behind very thick, (and very expensive) walls, but we will be forced to deal with those who visit them. The accompanying crowd of gang bangers and drug dealers are not the sort of visitors our community needs, nor wants.
Our Board Member helped put the county in this position when he voted last year to add a $17 million addition to a brand-new jail that the state gave us. The taxpayers of this county voted down three sales tax referendums to build a new jail. Apparently a $24 million new jail was not enough for the sheriff and our board member, paint was barely dry on the new jail when Our Board Member voted to put Kankakee County $17 million in debt for many years to come. Now, we’re told we need to import these Cook County criminals to help pay off the debt.
In closing, has it ever occurred to the fiscally loose county board, that Cook County, with whom the contract is binding, has trouble enough paying their bills? Cook County has had to take out an “emergency” $200 million loan to pay its bills, and faces a $130 million budget deficit. And now we expect a check from them?
I, for one, believe that the county board needs to rein in the sheriff and his expensive spending habits, and instead make it a priority to serve the people of Kankakee County first. It is this reckless spending – done with Mr. Vickery’s approval - that now has left the county importing Cook County inmates.
Sincerely,
Travis J. Griggs
posted by tjgriggs @ 5:32 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Travis,
Unfortunately you have failed to research the issue of the approval of the contract with Cook County in regards to housing it's prisoners. Only the financial aspect of this contract was what was brought to the County Board for approval as previous direction from the County Board in addition to the current Kankakee County Code had already given the authority to the Sheriff to house prisoners from outside of Kankakee County as well as the power to enter into negotiaions and execute contracts in conjunction with the Count Board Chairman to do so.
Although it appeared that the vote at the last County Board Meeting was a vote to allow prisoners of Cook County to be housed in Kankakee, in reality it was nothing of the such. Your fellow party members (failing to do their own homework and have a better understanding of the issue they were voting on) did a good job of causing much confusion in making it appear that it was a for or against housing Cook County inmates vote when in fact it was nothing of the such.
But of course this most likely will not be approved by you to post as a comment for your blog..but you should do your own research before making such comments.
Actually I have no problem posting your comment. Previous approval was given to the sheriff to "negotiate" contracts not to sign contracts. All contracts must have board approval before being signed. Just curious, as you have much to say on the issue, why anonymous?
Travis,
The County Code of Kankakee gives the authority to the Sheriff to house the Cook County inmates without the approval of the board. If you don't believe me then you should review it. If you need help finding it let me know. He actually has the authority to house inmates from anywhere he choses.
In addition: It is not true that all contracts need be approved by the board. Only contracts that require money to be spent require board approval. This contract did not fall in that category. But that's OK that you are not aware of this. Some of the board members do not know this either. However, your opponent does.
We’ve strayed from the true point of my letter. The issue isn’t as much about whether or not the board should have a say, but the failure of our current board to spend our money in an even remotely responsible manner.
However, to say only contracts that require money need approval brings up an excellent point. We’re told Cook County will pay $75.00 per day per inmate. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report dated June of 2004: “The average annual operating cost per State inmate in 2001 was $22,650, or $62.05 per day.” These numbers are 5 plus years old. Assuming they haven’t gone up even one cent the County would be +$12.95 per day. Something tells me costs will greatly outweigh $12.95 per day times whatever the number of prisoners housed equals.
Please let us not forget the greater loss. Whether or not we lose money due to the importation of criminals we have already lost a great deal of our pride and dignity. Instead of investing in business, industry or education this board invested our futures in a lavish jail. Money well spent?
Money spent on Prison buildings is almost never money "well spent" in terms of the greater good for society. Money spent on rehabiltation of criminals is money well spent. I'n not talking coddling the criminals, or helping them develop their muscles. I'm talking reading, writing, arithmetic, drug rehabilitation, parenting and job skills so they do not have to return to criminal activity when they are released.
If a person is deemed to be one who can not be rehabiltated - some are, like sociopaths and most if not all pedophiles - those are the ones who simply need a building to house their bodies.
Money spent on fancy offices and decorating is not money well spent. Our officials need to practice safety, simplicity and practicality when it comes to their offices, buildings, decorating, furniture and vehicles.
More to the point though, who is responsible for these out of town prisoners while they are in the Kankakee jail? Does Kankakee county or city pay for and provide health care? Does the prison have to pay some kind of extra insurance to have them here? Does the amount paid by the town or city the out of town prisoners come from really cover all their costs?
And of course what happens when these prisoners are released? Most of them do not have money or means to even get out of town. If they are drug addicts, what do you think will be the first they will do with any money given to them for bus or train fare? Do you really believe they will use that to get back to where ever they came from? Most don't even have permanent addresses or families that want them. And their visitors. Sure, not all visiting are bad people or gang bangers, but enough of them are. We don't need them here making connections and influencing the criminal elements already here in Kankakee County. That's exactly what will happen.
Travis makes the best point of all though, why import things like prisoners and garbage to bring in revenue here? Why not postive things, things that bring hope, jobs, good feelings to those of us already living in the area? It is depressing to hear that all our sheriff or county board can come up with to find revenue are things like out of town prisoners and garbage.
Why can't we try attracting tourists? Or conventions? Or people coming here to see the latest technology in an area manufacturing or medical facility, or getting Green Collar jobs?
Also I for one could never vote for a Sheriff who supports Congressman Jerry Weller and thinks he is an ok guy. Congressman Weller married into the Guatemalan mafia. That is simply a fact. Zury Rios-Montt de Weller, her father, and their political party the FRG are notorious in Guatemala for being involved in torture, genocide, embezzlement and drug trafficking, among other criminal activity. Were I an ethical person working in crime fighting I would stay miles away from Congressman Weller and his ties to criminals, congressional lobbyist scandals and poor ethical choices. Not Bukowski, he wraps his arms around Weller and is proud of his organised crime connections. I think that says it all and is the bottom line on Bukowski.
Just Another Souless Atheist Working for World Peace and Harmony,
Post a Comment
<< Home