By Patrick Crowley
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Like the other fiscal court races in Kenton County, the battle for the Third District County Commissioner's seat between Republican incumbent Adam Koenig and Democrat Mike Baker is focused on how and where to build a new county jail.

Mr. Baker, a Fort Wright Democrat making his first run for office, said he is not convinced the Republicans plan to build the new jail at the site of the existing jail - 303 Court St. in Covington - is the best location or way to solve the problem. He would prefer a single-story facility in a location that has yet to be determined.

"I would look to build the most cost-effective jail we can," Mr. Baker said. "Studies have shown that (multi-level) jails are more expensive."

Mr. Baker has also been critical of the taxes the fiscal court has raised on property, payroll and telephone service.

"It seems when this fiscal court is confronted with an issue they just raise taxes to find more money," Mr. Baker said. "I'm a business manager. I know how about fiscal responsibility and efficiency. We haven't seen enough of that with the fiscal court ... and it's time for some new leadership and ideas."

Mr. Koenig, a first-term incumbent and former Villa Hills City Councilman, said an outside consultant found that the county is operating at 97 percent efficiency. He added that taxes were raised to pay for vital services and projects, including updating the county's 911 emergency dispatch system and creating revenue to build the jail.

"If we could have done any of those things without raising taxes, we would have in a minute," Mr. Koenig said. "It's easy to be on the outside and point out certain things, but we made the tough decisions."

On the jail, Mr. Koenig said he supports the 303 Court St. site for the jail because it can be expanded.

He also said the current fiscal court has improved recreation and public safety in the county and is working to develop a skate park.

But Mr. Baker said the county needs to be more innovative and look at ideas such as merging the county's dispatch system with those in the cities and possibly privatizing operation of the county's golf courses - ideas the county's consultant actually recommended studying.

Mr. Koenig said it has not been proven to him that those ideas will save money or are the best for the people of Kenton County.

"The golf courses are a great asset that are self-sustaining," he said. "Why would we want to give those up?"

E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com