He asserts that if county commissioners just said “no,” construction would stop. What Capra doesn’t say, though, is that the new tribal jail is being built entirely on tribal trust land. As such, the county has no authority whatsoever to say “no.” The county cannot regulate what happens on sovereign tribal trust land.
Blaming the county for something it didn’t fund, permit, build or intend to use is confusing opinion with facts. Capra’s quest to somehow place the responsibility for this project in the county’s lap isn’t helpful or useful to anyone.
The county learned about the tribal jail project at the same time everyone else did, in July 2010, well after the federal government had made a commitment to fund the project and trade the land to the tribe.
There are enough difficult policy decisions with which to take legitimate issue. But mischaracterizing the facts underlying these decisions and issues is more harmful than helpful in the long run.
Capra’s concerns are better addressed by the tribe and the federal agencies responsible for making this project possible.
Thurston County has and will continue to help facilitate the exchange of information about this project. More information is available on the county’s website at: http://www.co.thurston. wa.us/nisquallyjail/index.htm
