Oak Ridge Today

Guest column: Let’s house federal prisoners, not raise taxes, to pay for new jailers

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Chuck Fritts

Chuck Fritts

By Anderson County Commission Chairman Chuck Fritts

Commissioners,

A question we need to be asking ourselves: “Would our citizens rather us house low-risk federal prisoners in the Anderson County Detention Facility, or would they rather we raise their property taxes by about 15 cents to fund the cost of staffing the new jail addition?” When you honestly look at it, these are the only two choices we really have.

As chairman, I don’t have the opportunity to speak during our meetings, so I’ll give you my comments in advance. I have “carbon copied” the press so you don’t have to worry about me violating the Sunshine Law with this information.

There is a proposal being presented to place a non-binding referendum on the ballot in August on whether or not to house “low-risk federal prisoners” in the Anderson County Detention Facility. This concerns me greatly for several reasons: [Read more…]

Anderson budget cuts tax rate; officials assure sheriff new jailers are covered

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CLINTON—The Anderson County Commission endorsed a budget Thursday that lowers the property tax rate, gives employees a day off, and is supposed to provide enough money to pay for jailers hired in the past year while allowing the sheriff to hire new ones for a jail addition that could open later this year.

The budget would also restore some funding for the relatively new Alternatives to Incarceration program, which Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank had proposed cutting by 80 percent, and add money to cover the cost of increased health insurance premiums for county employees.

The budget was endorsed in a 12-1-1 vote during a special meeting Thursday, the second this week. It could officially be adopted during the County Commission’s regular meeting on Monday. [Read more…]