I am running for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, because I want to ensure justice for all and keep Williamson County safe.

As a former reporter who covered criminal and civil courts and law enforcement, I saw how the systems worked -- and sometimes did not. As a professional communicator for nonprofit social service agencies and as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer, I've seen how families in crisis can be adversely affected by the criminal and civil justice systems.

I believe the Justice of the Peace Court, as a public service, should be accessible to all people. I propose to have a night court at least once a month and a Saturday court at least once a month to accommodate working individuals and families.

I believe we should not put nonviolent offenders  in jail because they cannot pay fines. It a costs to taxpayers $125 to $150 a day to jail someone. If a person is in jail, he or she cannot work and therefore is likely to lose his/her job. That creates a cascading effect in which their ability to pay rent or a mortgage is jeopardized, so they face eviction. They might not be able to pay their car payments and risk losing their transportation. If they end up homeless it is possible they will lose custody of their children. Their family is now in crisis and relying on public and private assistance because of a mistake. Putting them in jail and creating a worse situation is bad public policy. 

I believe the JP court should not be seen as a revenue stream for the county. The people who appear before JP court often are those who can least afford hefty fines and court costs. Sometimes they must choose between paying a fine or paying their rent or buying food for their families. We must hold people accountable AND make sure that justice is served and doesn't cause greater harm to individuals and society.

I hope you will join me in my campaign for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3!

Katherine Kerr Kubatzky

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