Issue 1 in Ohio would reduce crimes for drug possession from felonies to misdemeanors, but local governments across the state are worried about increased costs for taxpayers.
Harrison City Council. Photo courtesy City of Harrison.
(Harrison, Oh.) – With worries about what it will mean for taxpayers, Harrison City Council is coming out in opposition to Ohio Issue 1.
Issue 1 on the November 6 ballot is the constitutional amendment which seeks to reduce sentencing for people convicted of drug possession, including heroin, fentanyl, meth, cocaine, LSD, and other drugs. Possession charges would largely be reduced from felonies down to misdemeanors.
Additionally, judges would be prohibited from sentencing drug possession convicts to jail or prison time for such offenses, unless it is an individual’s third offense, or more, within two years. Offenders could ask courts to reduce their past convictions from felonies to misdemeanors.
Harrison City Council passed a resolution opposing Issue 1 at their October 16 meeting. The resolution states the projected savings of $100 million annually applies to the State only, while local governments will see significant increases in costs for treatment, probation, courts, and local jails.
“WHEREAS, State Issue 1 would shift the costs for drug treatment from the State to local governments; and WHEREAS, local government entities are already struggling to fund the opioid crisis in their jurisdictions as a result of the drastic budget cuts they have experienced in recent years,” the council resolution states in part.
Earlier this month, Republican Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters, Democratic Sheriff Jim Neil and county coroner Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco held a joint press conference to announce their opposition to Issue 1. Deters said the only motivation behind Issue 1 is to reduce the number of inmates being held in the state’s jails and prisons.
Supporters say it will divert money from prisons to treatment, helping thousands of Ohioans remain in the workforce.
“Someone who has served their time should be able to get a job, pay taxes and move back into society. A Yes vote on Issue 1 means a second chance for those suffering from addiction by providing more treatment and safer communities,” said Dennis Willard, spokesperson for the Yes on Issue 1 campaign.
Five other states have decriminalized drug possession, including California, Connecticut, Utah, Alaska, and Oklahoma.
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