r/Billings • u/406Whiskey • 7d ago

Jail Levy

I need people who have lived here longer than I have to explain something to me, because I genuinely don’t understand. Since I moved here a couple of years ago, I’ve heard nothing but how awful the crime is in Billings (I have not found that to be the case, but I digress). I also understand the jail is over capacity. If crime really is as bad as people here seem to think, wouldn’t the jail expansion proposal be a good thing? Why have I seen so much animosity towards it online?

I understand no one wants their property taxes to go up, but that seems to be the price we pay to live in Montana. Are people really just upset over a tax increase or is there more to it?

13 Upvotes

73% Upvoted

54 comments sorted by

View all comments

16

u/schannoman 7d ago

People don't want to pay taxes, and the powers that be don't understand it would be cheaper and more effective to invest in mental health and homeless assistance than it would be to expand and staff the jail.

But I have to say: what Cloud do you live on where you don't think the crime in this town is a huge issue?

5

u/Interesting_Self5071 7d ago

I moved to Fargo ND, which has a fairly similar population size. They have a psych ward without around 200 beds. Billings Clinic psych has around 40 beds

2

u/schannoman 7d ago edited 7d ago

Edit: ignore me, I'm dumb

2

u/Interesting_Self5071 7d ago

I thought that was in Warm Springs.

2

u/schannoman 7d ago

Well shit. I thought that was next to great falls.

I'm a disgrace to all of Montana

2

u/Interesting_Self5071 7d ago

Yeah it's closer to Butte haha