Cochise County is open to arguments for and against a sales tax to fund new prison and detention service improvements.
County residents can vote for or against a half-cent tax to fund the construction and operation of new prisons in a special election on May 16.
This tax will not be levied for more than 25 years.
According to the prefecture, recent evaluation Cochise County’s main prison in Bisbee found that life expectancy was twice as long as expected. The county relies on Bisbee Jail and his two temporary holding facilities in Sierra Vista and Wilcox to hold all those arrested within the county.
Current prison issues include safety concerns, plumbing and power capacity issues, water leaks, and technical issues. The 40-year-old facility was built to hold 168 prisoners but has grown to hold 302 prisoners.
“We’ve seen prison conditions first hand. It’s clear that the current situation is unsustainable. The problem cannot be overcome with money. It’s coming to an end,” Cochise County Superior Court said. Retired Judge James Connologue told the prison district public relations committee. 2022 conference.
According to the county, retrofitting existing prison facilities is costly and fails to meet other needs such as police safety, increased space, and staffing of 24-hour prison medical services.
If districts and taxes taxing prisons are approved, funds from county residents will help pay for increased medical services. The county is also working to secure outside funding, including her $20 million from the state, but this will depend on funds already established for the prison.
Jane Montgomery, a county spokeswoman, said county prison facilities do not have enough staff to handle the growing number of inmates suffering from mental illness.
The county is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on treatment because current facilities are ill-equipped to deal with opioid and drug addiction and other medical needs, she said in an email.
“Almost two-thirds of inmates receive mental health services at some point in their lives. Staff often have to use isolation facilities for severely psychotic patients, which exacerbates their condition. or holding solitary confinement that could pose a safety concern for other inmates,” Montgomery said.
A prison district sales tax would provide funding to address these health care issues while reducing reliance on outside medical care and transportation, she said.
All arguments must be submitted by 5:00 pm on February 15th and must not exceed 300 words. The arguments should include the signer’s name, address, and phone number. Publicity brochures sent to county voters will only show their name and city of residence.
other requirements You can find it on your county jail district webpage.
Discussions should be emailed to the Clerk of the Board. board@cochise.az.gov Or delivered to the Clerk’s Office, Board of Supervisors, Building G, 1415 Melody Lane, Bisbee, AZ 85603.
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Please contact the reporter at sarah.lapidus@gannett.com.
