By George P. Hassett

A proposal from Sheriff James V. DiPaola to build a new county jail in Somerville has received outright opposition from State Rep. Carl M. Sciortino and little support from Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone.

Curtatone said this week that bringing a jail to the city is not a priority and the project ranks far behind the development of Innerbelt Road, Union Square and Assembly Square on the city’s to-do list. He said he has not met with DiPaola to discuss the issue in more than a year.

“The city never said, ‘Hey build a jail here.’ Our priority is to maximize the city’s development potential, create jobs and increase the tax base,” he said. “We don’t want to take up a valuable development site with a jail.”

The possibility of a jail being built in Somerville was first raised in June 2006 when DiPaola began stating his case to state and city officials for the need for a new jail in Middlesex County to offset overcrowding conditions due to problems with the Cambridge facility. The East Cambridge jail is expected to close at the end of 2007 for asbestos removal.

City officials met with DiPaola last year and said they could be interested in hosting a new jail if a new police building were included in the plans. The existing building is outdated and the subject of a lawsuit, alleging it to be a hazardous work environment. 

In Aug. 2005, nearly 60 people who work at the Somerville police station filed a complaint, claiming they “were subjected to pro-longed exposures, to chronic damp conditions, and the types of molds that produce toxins.” The case has yet to be resolved.

Curtatone said this week the city would only be interested in DiPaola’s plan if a new police station for the city is included. However, he said, the state may not fund a project that includes a municipal building in the plans. Sciortino, who has opposed DiPaola’s proposal from the outset, said such a scenario is unlikely.

“County expenditures usually are not used for city buildings,” Sciortino said.

Sciortino brought a copy of a state study evaluating four potential jail sites in Somerville to last week’s aldermen meeting. The study, conducted by the Department of Conservation and Asset Management, concluded that three parcels of land at 10 Poplar St., 32 Linwood St. and 181 McGrath Highway could be combined to form the best possible site for a jail in the city. Currently, the land is being used by an auto repair shop and an out-of-service trash collection incinerator, once used by the city. The study concluded the area was the best location for a new jail because it is visible from the highway, features good access for drivers and is close to public transit stops. Also, land acquisition will be easier because the city already owns the largest portion of the parcel, according to the study.

The study also recommended 120 through 216 McGrath Highway and dismissed 191 Innerbelt Road and 200 Innerbelt Road as possible sites for a new jail. The Innerbelt Road sites are too isolated for public safety and criminal justice facilities, the study said.

Sciortino said he was not surprised to see the proposed locations surrounded the East Somerville neighborhood.

“East Somerville has more low-income residents, more immigrant residents and is more of a community of color. Plans like this would not be tolerated in West Somerville for a second,” he said. “I believe this would be an injustice to the people who live in East Somerville.”

Sciortino said he has opposed DiPaola’s plans for a new jail since they were announced last year. He said it is irresponsible to “build our way out of the crime problem” when social service cuts for substance abusers have not been restored.

The Middlesex County sheriff’s office did not return phone calls.