A surprising vote of confidence (11/07/2008)

Even the most ardent supporters of Tuesday's jail referendum had to be surprised.

Some county officials had figured the referendum would go down to defeat by a 2 to 1 margin. Other local political observers suggested that was too optimistic, and that it would be defeated by a 5 to 1 margin.

Yet in the end it was approved by a majority of the voters on a day with record turnout.

So what happened?

A large part of the referendum's success goes to Sheriff Ray Newton.

He was the one willing to put his personal political future on the line to urge the passage of something not particularly popular but definitely necessary.

It also helped that Sheriff Newton is working on a contract with the county, not putting the profits from feeding inmates into his own pocket.

That gave him real credibility with the voters, probably more than any other sheriff in county history has enjoyed.

County commissioners and the county council also deserve credit for the referendum's eventual success.

Some thought it was a little odd to push simultaneously for the jail's expansion and for a public vote that could put the whole project on the shelf.

But the approach made sense. Voters appreciated being asked in advance. They valued being part of the decision-making process.

We'd also give credit to the scores of individuals who took the time to tour the jail and learn first-hand about the problems. They talked to their friends and neighbors about what they saw, and they wrote some persuasive letters to the editor that carried significant weight.

Finally, though, it's the voters themselves who deserve credit.

It's not easy to vote to raise your own taxes, but doing so demonstrated a degree of thoughtfulness and maturity that reaffirms one's faith in democracy. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]