| By Bob Weaver
Calhoun is not the only county facing severe financial problems over housing prisoners.
A report on corrections in West Virginia finds the number of jail inmates has doubled in the last decade and costs have continued to skyrocket.
Strangely, the crime rate has remained fairly steady.
Commission President Larry McCallister said the problem is on the top of the list of the County Commissioner's Association of West Virginia. McCallister, who is on the group's board, said he and others met with state officials two weeks ago seeking some kind of relief.
Jail costs are stripping West Virginia counties of money used for statutory obligations and community services, pushing some toward insolvency.
Vivian Parsons, executive director of the County Commissioner's Association, said if county resources continue to dwindle, "constituents can forget about water and sewage projects and other important services" which require matching funds.
McCallister said it had been some time since Calhoun had extra money for matching projects.
Parsons said "It is just a matter of time before all counties will be faced with the same dilemma," saying the situation is out of control.
She cited the difficulties being experienced by Calhoun County.
Calhoun, because of the regional jail bill and other state mandated costs, is laying off employees and reducing essential services, cutting health insurance to elected officials, and raising valuations on property to try and head-off collapse.
Cabel County, whose jail bill is $3.5 million annually, is expecting not being able to pay about $1.5 million of that cost.
Calhoun's costs could increase to nearly one-third of the county's functional budget of $750,000.
Steve Canterbury, The head of West Virginia's Regional Jail Authority, says jail stays reflect a shift in policy toward criminal behavior by lawmakers.
He says it is a wave across the USA to strengthen sentencing guidelines, calling for longer sentences for crimes like armed robbery, but also adding felony status to domestic violence, third offense DUIs and some drug offenses.
Canterbury says "The question that policy makers have to ask themselves is simply "Is that extra time making us safer?"
He says some lawmakers are starting to question the wisdom of locking people up because "we're mad at them, rather than afraid of them," contending WVs costs are some of the lowest in the nation.
Many local officials believe small rural counties are being forced to consolidate with larger, more urban counties. Consolidation efforts are touted as streamlining services and saving taxpayers money, although there a few examples of success.
Canterbury suggests advancing the use of community corrections programs.
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