Kochise County Voters Approve Sales Tax for New Prison

Kochise County, Arizona – Voters have backed a sales tax to help finance a new prison, following a proposed settlement to settle a lawsuit.

On Friday, the County Board of Supervisors announced they reached an agreement to resolve a lawsuit from local residents who challenged the elections in the prison district.

This settlement will pause sales tax collection and initiate a new election set for November. Taxpayers might need to cover about $130,000 in attorney fees for the plaintiffs.

However, this settlement still requires approval from a judge.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with News4 Tucson, Sheriff Mark Dunnell expressed his dissatisfaction with the outcome, noting he hadn’t been consulted by the Board of Supervisors regarding the decision.

“There’s no communication with my office,” he remarked. “If there isn’t a facility that meets public safety needs, then I wonder who will answer to those who will ultimately rely on me.”

Dunnell admitted he’s uncertain about the future of the prison if voters do not support the taxes again. He’s of the opinion that a judge should ultimately decide the matter.

“We’re at a point now where we shouldn’t settle until the judge has ruled on the potential violations in the election process. I’m being told it’s not the case. The Board of Supervisors seems to suggest we’ll just go ahead and build a prison,” he stated.

Prior to this settlement, News 4’s Tucson chief investigative reporter Chorus Nylander had talked with board chair Frank Antenori about the lawsuit and concerns raised by Sheriff Dunnell.

“We’re building a prison. I don’t understand why he’s getting involved in this. We’ll figure out how to make it work,” Antenori said.

He also offered possible alternatives for funding the $100 million prison project.

“Whether that means issuing a bond, managing it within the General Fund, asking taxpayers, or finding funding sources for those bonds,” he elaborated.

In a county news release on Friday regarding the settlement, Antenori conveyed a statement about ensuring proper electoral processes.

“We’re dedicated to making sure everything is conducted correctly, particularly concerning elections. It’s crucial to guarantee there’s public support for funding prisons through sales tax,” he noted.

Earlier this year, voters approved a sales tax increase for special prison districts. Following that, some residents filed a lawsuit claiming around 10,000 voters were denied their right to vote.

The county explained that those individuals were not sent ballots because they were classified as inactive voters.

The proposed settlement will be reviewed by an Apache County judge in a Kochise County courtroom on Tuesday morning.