When you cast your vote on Nov. 6 to build a jail in Houghton County, the real question before you, regardless of how the language is worded is this: Are you prepared to pay a little more in taxes every year to improve the safety of your neighborhood and community?

Because improving the public’s safety is what building a 21st century facility to replace a 19th century space is all about. There are many other important considerations and issues that have been addressed, but the self-evident fact that an adequately sized jail will keep accused criminals off the streets, thus preventing potential crime, makes the case.

The people of the Copper Country have deliberated on this question since early 2016, when this newspaper, responding to a letter to the editor from an inmate, first raised the issue of the jail’s decrepit, overcrowded and borderline-inhumane conditions.

Once the Daily Mining Gazette raised the issue, it followed with many stories since, reporting on all aspects of the issue and promoting free and fair discourse in the marketplace of ideas on the Opinion Page.

One news story that stood out and drove the public safety home described how criminal justice officials were forced to deploy alternatives to keeping accused individuals awaiting trial in jail because of overcrowding considerations. In other words, letting them out, with “out” meaning back into the community and the neighborhoods near schools and businesses where many of them were accused of committing the crimes.

This is unacceptable, even though we all need to keep in mind that nearly all the individuals held in county jails are not guilty of the crimes they are charged with. However, many of them are eventually found guilty.

We the people of all ages should be protected from them. A new jail will do that.

When it comes to democracy, the boss is we the people deciding as one. The boss looks at the bigger picture — in this case the necessity of a new jail to provide for the common welfare of the people.

So we would suggest to those who are not sure about supporting the referendum because they feel there was a lack of input on the plan or did not chose an alternative (One more time: Camp Kitwin is not a viable alternative), to put those considerations aside and support the referendum solely based on providing more safety for your community and families.

One trait of good boss is delegating authority and roles. The Constitution provides for that. The people do not quibble over the hows and whys. That is for underlings, the public servants we elect, to do.

The people rule on the big picture. Vote to provide for the general welfare of the people in supporting the jail referendum on Nov. 6.