“County leadership has not engaged in the appropriate process to include stakeholders, consider alternatives, and provide the public with a solid rationale for its approval of the design and price tag of the proposed facility. A project with this scale and impact on the community should be decided on through a more thorough, holistic, and transparent process.”

“I can’t stand the government wasting our tax dollars, especially when it results in the enrichment of the private construction companies, firms, and Wall Street lenders who stand to make millions if this passes, some of whom have donated tens of thousands of dollars to promote the bond.

“We have been given the illusion that building a new jail and office is the only solution to the facility’s problems.”

“The lack of community outreach is how we end up with a proposal that lacks what our community wants and includes things we don’t need. This proposal still won’t allow face-to-face meetings with families. It has human cells smaller than K9 kennels. Yet it has all the bells and whistles for a $45 million sheriff's office. “

“I care deeply about this community, and as a parent, business owner, and neighbor, I never hesitate to put my money where my mouth and values lie.

“But when I think about the priorities of our community — healthcare, housing, education, childcare — and the struggles we have to fund these basic pieces of safety and belonging, I know this plan isn’t right for Johnson County.”

“That’s because the “new” jail is new by structure only: new 5,000 square-foot “wellness” facility (about 9% of non-jail space), new garage to store the MRAP, new cages for K9s (that are bigger than those for the people housed there), new location, new tax bond, new tax increases, new building that looks like a prison.”

“Growing up in Iowa City I can think of a number of things that have seen very little renovation in the past two decades. My son started basketball at our local rec center last year and I stood in the same building I grew up going to and remarked to my wife that the place had hardly changed. 

“I know we’ve done little updates here and there, but as I stared at what appeared to be mold on the walls above the meager bleachers, it was hard not to be a little disappointed at the state of the building.”

“We've all been provided with a bit of a false binary in terms of our options related to the new jail. The third option is to vote no and to continue exploring other options, to hold out for something better. The third option simply indicates that building a new jail, with all the space and the Situation Room and the huge offices and the increased number of beds, for $120+ million isn't reasonable. It reflects a higher expectation of our law enforcement, our leadership, and our community.”

“We have the power to demand transparency and take a democratic approach to addressing the very real issues raised with the safety of the current facility, but Nathaniel Davis Jr. was not killed by the cracks in the walls.”

“Johnson County has not convinced me that their humanity is front and center here.”

“My work in social support services and the partner of someone in law enforcement has led me to understand that meaningful partnerships and internal policy changes are how public servants demonstrate dedication to solutions, prevention, and care for the community. Anything less demonstrates a vanity project..“

“When I think about this community, I think about care, compassion, and brilliance. We care about each other enough to not use jail as the answer. We are compassionate enough to want to heal with those who harm. We are brilliant enough to foresee how a larger jail will perpetuate the violence of disproportionately jailing people of color, poor people, and people with disabilities.”

“Diversion is not done until every person has a home, a place to receive healthcare, and a good school. We have a long way to go, and a bigger jail does not help us get there.”

“The Iowa City Human Rights Commission encourages our community to vote “No” concerning Johnson County’s proposed $94.5 million jail bond […] After reviewing available information, hearing presentations, receiving public comments, and engaging in discussion, the Commission remains concerned that the proposed referendum has not adequately addressed several significant issues.”

“I grew up in Iowa City and I’ve spent a lot of time in our community listening to people, standing alongside families, and learning from stories that too often go unheard. One thing I’ve come to understand is that human dignity is not defined by the structures we build. It is defined by the systems, policies, and standards we choose to put in place.”

“We believe Johnson County can do better than spending $124 million on expanding our jail. We believe our resources should strengthen communities, support people in crisis, and create more opportunities for people to thrive.”

“I’m voting no because I believe in community care, not community abandonment.”

“We have a civic responsibility to invest in resources that reflect our values.”

“But somehow there’s always money for prisons, jails, and cops. Johnson County is the perfect place to disrupt that trend.”

“We deserve real solutions that align with our values, not this unimaginative plan that would be acceptably at home in far more regressive communities.”