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CALHOUN'S JAIL BILL PROBLEM SHARED BY OTHER COUNTIES - Cabell Could Have $2 Million Bill |
| (01/27/2005) |
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While Calhoun County is facing a budget crunch, mostly linked to the costs of housing prisoners in the regional jail, many WV counties are struggling with the problem. Cabell County spent more on regional jail costs than any other county in 2004, nearly $2 million dollars. Jail bills have dominated Cabell County budget problems since it joined the state's regional jail system in 2003. The Calhoun Commission recently reviewed costs of housing prisoners, expressing concern the bill could exceed $200,000 for a fiscal year, or about one-fourth of the entire county budget. Commissioners also reviewed the types of prisoners being incarcerated, concluding nearly all the current prisoners met criteria to be in the facility. Cabell cut back on water and sewer projects, pay raises and new hiring, but Calhoun, with virtually no slack in the budget is cutting basic benefits and essential services. The regional jail system was created to replace the state's aging 55 county jails because it was too expensive to remodel or rebuild them to meet federal standards. Cabell's jail bill is already exhausted, and the fiscal year does not end until July. The county could face a $1.87 million jail debt by June 30. "Somewhere along the way, something is wrong with the system when this happens," Commission President Bob Bailey said. Berkeley County has shared in Cabell County's problems. The Eastern Panhandle county ranked first in admissions per capita and second in total days billed per capita. Deborah Hammond, administrator for Berkeley County, said jail bills also have cramped that county's budget. Berkeley County has increased property taxes 3 percent every year to raise additional revenues.
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