The Rice belt journal., 1914-05-22
OPPOSED TO BOND ISSUE
FOR COURT HOUSE AND JAIL
DR.. John II. Cooper, President of the Police Jury,
Urges Strong Reasons Why This is an In
opportune Time to Lay This Additional
Tax Burden on the Parish

this, how then? From an economical
standpoint we do not need a Jail, the
cost OF transporting our prisoners to
Lake Charles and back last year was
$383.09. The cost of keeping them in
Lake Charles was exactly the same as
it would have been in Jennings. The
State law fixes the price Of mainten.
anCe and the Sheriff OF CalcaSieu charge
exactly the same as ours does. 1t will
cost us more this year for CalcaSieu now
charges us ten cents per day for each
prisoner, last year we had an average
OF believe a fraction over 49,; now if
we have the same number this year
and keep them all at Lake Charles.
which we will not do, it would amount
to say $4,000 per month, or S4800O, for
the year to this add $120, $40 per month.
for medical attention, and we have
$9S3.09. Judging from plans and esti.
mates that have been submitted, it is
useless to think of building a Jail that
will meet the Sanitary requirements of
the State Board of Health for less than
$20,OOO.OO and if we could place our
bonds or certificates at per cent
(Which is doubtful) we. would
have n interest about what
it costs to transport our prisoners
to Lake Charles. pay their board
and doctor bills. But there are other
expenses besides interest. A jail has
got to be heated and lighted it has to
be provided with water for sanitation,
it must be kept clean, it must be kept
in good repair and be insured and when
you take into consideration heat, light,
water, janitor, repairs and insurance.
1t will not take less than an other
$1,000. So every year that we continue
the present arrangement we are saving
$10O0,0 90 and it looks like good business
to me.
But why do say we need a court
house more than Jail, is not the court
room furnished by Jennings, and which
she is under obligation to furnish eight
years, good enough and has any one
demanded court house? Well yes to
the first and no to the second, but had
you stopped to think that after Dec,
SlSt 1915 we will either have to move
into our own building or begin paying
rent. Jennings people are under Bond
to furnish offices for the parish officials
until Dec. 3lSt 1915 and not longer. |
don't know what it would cost to rent
offices for the entire force, but pre-.
sumo not much short of $4,000 per
month, and them as our records accu.
mulate we will have to be continually
buying safes in which to keep them.
and even with the safes we are taking
considerable risk and may at any time
have records that have cost us thous.
and Of dollars destroyed, so that while
we may get along with the present
court room, we will be forced to make
some arrangement for offices and for
care OF our records.
When the budget of 1913 was made
the assessment rolls were not made I'D
but the estimated revenues were placed
at $23,0O0.00 after the rolls were com.
pleted it was found that we had under
estimated the assessment and that the
total revenues would be $3622.07
more so this amount was prorated
among the different funds. Most of
these funds are over drawn and while
there is balance to the credit of some
as a whole the expenditures have been
in excess of the revenues and May ex.
penseS yet to take care of.
The estimated revenues for 1914 is the
same as the revenues Of 1918, There
is some difference in the disposition
however, this was necessary in order
to meet deficits in those funds over.
drawn and where more was given a
fund last year then sufficient less has
been given it, I don't believe the offices
of the Parish could have been admins.
tered more economically and wish to
say Just here that have never worked
with any set Of men whom / thought
were more conscientious than the pres.
ent Police Jury of Jefferson Davis Par.
ish, and while We differ in our opinions
at times, believe every man is desirous
of promoting the best interests of the
Parish. Now after a careful survey of
the expenditures and revenues of the
Parish of the last year and fair esti.
mate of what is before us for the year
1914 if any one can find surplus that
could be used to pay off certificates of
Indebtedness he is certainly a better
finaneier than am.
The Treasurer's Books show exactly