Overcrowding Leads Portage County Jail to Push for Levy

Overcrowding of female inmates has lead the Portage County Jail to push for a $1.2 million tax levy on the November 4th ballot.

Sheriff David Doak said the jail began to see a spike in female population about two years ago and has been a big problem for the past several months. Female inmate overcrowding is becoming a state-wide issue.

The jail is permitted to house 34 female inmates but are averaging 45 or 47 and at one time held 60. The Department of Corrections told Doak the jail needs to address the space issue.

Doak says he understands that convincing the public to vote for this levy will be difficult but says he thinks this is the most effective way to save tax payer dollars.

“I’m a taxpayer myself, and I’m not talking as the Sheriff I’m talking as a tax payer,’ Doak said. “People don’t want to put money out to keep people in jail and I get that. The trade off is use this space now and pay a million bucks or if somebody files a federal lawsuit we’re going to get court ordered to do it.”

Initially the jail considered correcting the issue by adding an additional pod onto the jail. Doak said this idea would have cost over $3 million but corrections officer Corporal John Hostler found a more cost efficient way to do so.

There is an open space on the side of the jail which is already surrounded by three walls. The idea is for the jail to build a roof and an extra wall onto that space to create more room for female inmates. This brings the cost of the levy down to $1.2 million.

The tax would be an additional $0.05 for each one hundred dollars of valuation according to a Notice of Election on Tax Levy by the board of elections. The tax would last for two years and would begin in 2015 is passed.

Election day is November 4th. For more information the Portage County Jail levy and polling locations visit https://www.co.portage.oh.us.