Ashland in the Crosshairs of the Proposed County Jail

Ashland in the Crosshairs of the Proposed County Jail

Here is the scoop. 

Bottom line:  The county jail can’t be built without Ashland City Council putting the jail on the ballot.  The property tax base in Ashland will build the county jail because Ashland’s property values are so much higher than the rest of the valley.

First, the county needs to have Ashland’s city council’s buy into the “police service district”.  This is the financial instrument that allows the county to then ask the city council for a property tax ordinance.

Second, the property tax ordinance is 87 cents on $1,000 of Ashland residences’ property.  The amount will vary but the average is $400-$600 additional tax on property in Ashland for the next 20 years.

Third, the city councilors think that the decision to increase property taxes should be determined by the Ashland voters on the May, 2020 ballot, therefore they will approve the above ordinances.

Finally, even if Ashland residents don’t vote to increase their property taxes, the rest of the county can vote for the increase, leaving Ashland paying for the lion’s share of the jail.

Attend the City Council business meeting on Tuesday, November 19 at 6:00pm to let the council know how you want them to vote.  At this point it seems that the council is 5 to 1 in favor of the property tax increase.

Chronicle staff