Free Keene

Like many government projects, the estimated cost for the proposed new jail has gone up again. Last week County officials raised the proposed price tag from $35 to as much as $40 million. The price of the new jail has been climbing for years, even though a site has not yet been finalized. This cost will fall on everyone who lives not only in Keene, but also in the rest of Cheshire County. While $40 million is a sizable sum, it does not even begin to factor in the price of staffing and upkeep for the new jail. The cost of refusing to look at prison reform not only falls on our friends and family members who are caught up in the system, but also on our wallets in the form of taxes.

Many elected officials are pushing very hard to build the jail on the Hill property which sits just off of Rout 101 in Keene just over the boarder of Marlborough. It is up to the residents of Cheshire County to stand up and say we do not need a new jail. Officials have told the public that there is only one option, and that is where to build the jail. This is false. There is also the option to look at why America puts more of its citizens behind bars than any other country. Residents of Cheshire County will have a chance to voice their opinions before officials make the final vote on March 12. There is a public hearing Monday March 5 at 7:00 pm at the Keene Middle School.