Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/161733
Sarasota News Leader August 30, 2013 Page 35 to the south county citizens by doing that," thing to do for our residents," Robinson said in March. "They've got to take an hour and a Smith said. half of travel time ... sometimes for a five-minHe argued it would be cheaper and easier to ute court hearing." remodel Anderson to provide more courtrooms than it would be to construct a whole She added that she would oppose any changnew courthouse. Finding new office space es that would remove misdemeanor hearings for the tax collector and others would be less from the Anderson facility. "Those folks are demanding than building something secure the ones who have a hard time getting around. Getting to court is a problem; getting off work enough to serve the courts. is a problem," she argued. "That would turn Robinson tells The Sarasota News Leader the much of that population into felony offendcounty is "trying to come up with short-term ers." Instead of getting minor offenders "out of solution, understanding that we just don't the system," it would send them on a "downhave the money for a long-term solution." Ev- ward spiral." erybody wants a South County jail, she says, but that alone would be a "$50 million endeav- County Commissioner Charles Hines said in March he was "very happy" the commission or." was examining the issue. "Services to the "I obviously want to see more court services South County have gone down at the same in South County, just because it's the right time the population has increased." % South County residents can lose a whole day, having to travel to Sarasota for court proceedings. Photo by Scott Proffitt