County wise to put
new jail on hold

Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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Somerset County Commissioners made a good move when they postponed construction of the new $30 million county jail until it's clear whether TABOR passes this November.

The voter-approved construction of the new jail has become the latest hostage in the battle over what TABOR will or won't do to county and municipal budgets. Somerset County Commissioner Paul Hatch has said the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, which is on the November ballot, would impose limits so restrictive the county would be unable to pay back debt from the jail construction. Maine Municipal Association officials agree the jail's debt service payments might not survive TABOR. But TABOR supporter Tarren Bragdon, from the Maine Heritage Policy Institute, says that the construction payments will not be affected by TABOR, "as long as the debt service is paid for within the spending limits."

The cost of the jail, to be built in one of Maine's poorest counties, was controversial. Construction was approved by a virtual handful of voters last year. Commissioners had hoped to begin construction this fall on a new facility to replace the more than 100-year-old current jail, which fails to meet state and federal requirement. But given the uncertainty of TABOR's potential affects, and the high fiscal stakes, we think the Commissioners are prudent to put off construction until after it's clear whether TABOR passes.