Comments on: Welcome to Montanamo Bay: Hardin Montana continues its campaign to become Gitmo North http://www.140mileseastofcool.com/2009/hardin-jail/ Fri, 21 May 2010 03:47:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Brad Johnson http://www.140mileseastofcool.com/2009/hardin-jail/#comment-39 Brad Johnson Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:00:35 +0000 http://www.140mileseastofcool.com/?p=557#comment-39 Fletcher- my understanding (perhaps incorrect) was that Hardin issued 27m in bonds. The repayment schedule began in May of last year but that they weren't considered in default until January (they paid some funds from an emergency account, etc.). Further, I understand that of today Hardin is $200,000 shy in missed payments as of this May. I will return to my sources and check. It is true: they owe $27,000,000 overall + interest and they are in default. to your other comment: I actually think Hardin's problem is the problem of growth in the West, especially the rural west. It's a longer rant/post, but in short: towns are dying, money and people only flow out. Now, this is part of an ideological trap in my opinion, one often complicated (and perpetuated) by notions of manifest destiny, the American Dream, and capitalism's insatiable need for growth, etc. But let's leave aside the commie-pinko angle and go with the idea that towns need to find ways to grow; or if not grow at least stem the emigration through jobs, etc. In that case, town leaders work to find ways to keep local money local (which usually isn't enough) and ways to bring regional/national money in. A nursing home/retirement community seems to work in many cities as it transfers out of state money into local money (in the way it takes social security money and keeps it local, in the way it receives federal dollars via medicare, etc.). The key is to find a thing that captures revenue beyond the current local base. Hardin looks around and says what do we have? We can't compete with nearby Billings in the medical arena. We have a lot of crime, mostly misdemeanors. That money mostly flows to Billings already. So they say: let's keep it here plus we can contract with the state. I'm also hearing that the former Governor supported the idea. So they build it. The political winds shift on the idea. Crime drops (no causal relationship between the last two). But for them it was an attempt to build something that generated local revenues beyond local. In early May, 2009, the Montana Correctional Advisory Council called for 920 new prison beds in the state. They see the need for 3500 new "beds" by 2025. So it's not completely absurd that a town would go after that "market" (and I put quotes around market because I don't think we should look at incarcerating individuals as a market or a growth industry--that is I don't think we should be counting it on the positive side of our economic growth balance sheet. We need to learn how to subtract if we're ever going to get a real picture of our economy) Fletcher-
my understanding (perhaps incorrect) was that Hardin issued 27m in bonds. The repayment schedule began in May of last year but that they weren’t considered in default until January (they paid some funds from an emergency account, etc.). Further, I understand that of today Hardin is $200,000 shy in missed payments as of this May. I will return to my sources and check. It is true: they owe $27,000,000 overall + interest and they are in default.

to your other comment:
I actually think Hardin’s problem is the problem of growth in the West, especially the rural west. It’s a longer rant/post, but in short: towns are dying, money and people only flow out. Now, this is part of an ideological trap in my opinion, one often complicated (and perpetuated) by notions of manifest destiny, the American Dream, and capitalism’s insatiable need for growth, etc.

But let’s leave aside the commie-pinko angle and go with the idea that towns need to find ways to grow; or if not grow at least stem the emigration through jobs, etc.

In that case, town leaders work to find ways to keep local money local (which usually isn’t enough) and ways to bring regional/national money in. A nursing home/retirement community seems to work in many cities as it transfers out of state money into local money (in the way it takes social security money and keeps it local, in the way it receives federal dollars via medicare, etc.). The key is to find a thing that captures revenue beyond the current local base.

Hardin looks around and says what do we have? We can’t compete with nearby Billings in the medical arena. We have a lot of crime, mostly misdemeanors. That money mostly flows to Billings already. So they say: let’s keep it here plus we can contract with the state. I’m also hearing that the former Governor supported the idea. So they build it. The political winds shift on the idea. Crime drops (no causal relationship between the last two). But for them it was an attempt to build something that generated local revenues beyond local.

In early May, 2009, the Montana Correctional Advisory Council called for 920 new prison beds in the state. They see the need for 3500 new “beds” by 2025. So it’s not completely absurd that a town would go after that “market” (and I put quotes around market because I don’t think we should look at incarcerating individuals as a market or a growth industry–that is I don’t think we should be counting it on the positive side of our economic growth balance sheet. We need to learn how to subtract if we’re ever going to get a real picture of our economy)

]]> By: Fletcher http://www.140mileseastofcool.com/2009/hardin-jail/#comment-38 Fletcher Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:42:28 +0000 http://www.140mileseastofcool.com/?p=557#comment-38 The bonds didn't go into default in "January" and they're not shy $200,000. They went into default on <i>May 1st last year.<i> How did this little town so thoroughly allow itself to be taken to the cleaners? The bonds didn’t go into default in “January” and they’re not shy $200,000. They went into default on May 1st last year.

How did this little town so thoroughly allow itself to be taken to the cleaners?

]]> By: KrisBelucci http://www.140mileseastofcool.com/2009/hardin-jail/#comment-37 KrisBelucci Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:48:53 +0000 http://www.140mileseastofcool.com/?p=557#comment-37 da best. Keep it going! Thank you da best. Keep it going! Thank you

]]> By: jack http://www.140mileseastofcool.com/2009/hardin-jail/#comment-28 jack Thu, 21 May 2009 03:15:15 +0000 http://www.140mileseastofcool.com/?p=557#comment-28 Third to the last paragraph -- think you meant "fly shop" not "fly shot." Or was it "fly sh-t." Third to the last paragraph — think you meant “fly shop” not “fly shot.” Or was it “fly sh-t.”

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