Nick Bergus, Iowa City

I’m voting against a new jail because we deserve public investments that reflect our community’s values.

Instead of working on practical long-term solutions, Johnson County has ignored necessary maintenance and community conversation, now claiming we have no choice but to rush into nearly $100 million of debt for a brand-new, larger jail, while ignoring its inefficiency and the real risk it brings to our vulnerable neighbors.

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