It's something we've been hearing about for months: jail overcrowding. This Voter Guide looks at El Paso County Ballot Question 1A.

On Nov. 5 El Paso county voters will be asked if their property taxes should be increased by $2.86 million annually to pay for the operation of a new jail addition.

Question 1A supporters said the jail is dangerously crowded and understaffed, and that crowding leads to injured inmates who may sue for damages and drive medical and worker compensation costs up.

Opponents said now is the worst time to implement a tax increase because of the recession. They also said alternatives are available, like electronic bracelet monitoring and bail reforms.