Commissioners discuss proposed increase in prisoner fees

Hamilton County commissioners this morning discussed a proposal to increase daily prisoner fees from $28 to $40.

The fee hike could generate about $145,000 a year in additional revenue, said Scott Schoolfield, the county’s human services administrator.

Jail fees have not gone up since 1985, and during that time the expense of housing a prisoner has jumped from $28 daily to $59.24 a day at the jail and $42.75 a day at the Silverdale Detention Center, according to the county.

During the Security and Corrections Committee meeting, Commissioner Jim Coppinger expressed support of the fee-increase proposal.

"The taxpayers are the ones that need to be rewarded, not the people that are misbehaving," Mr. Coppinger said.

But Commissioner Greg Beck said he wants more time to look at the fee proposal.

Commissioners also discussed the possibility of increasing the daily prisoner fee to $48.

The committee is expected to talk about the proposal again on April 10, Commissioner Larry Henry said.

See tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press for full coverage.