Cochise County Jail District board ends collection of jail excise tax, sets July 31 effective date

The Cochise County Jail District board of directors unanimously adopted a resolution on June 3 to end collection of the Cochise County Jail District excise tax, with the county staff and board saying the Arizona Department of Revenue requires a 60-day notice and the tax is scheduled to stop July 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

The action matters because the tax funded the jail district and because the ending follows a settlement and court proceedings that touched on whether a petition/referral process was required for the districts ballot questions. The vote clears the administrative step needed to notify the Department of Revenue and direct vendors and point-of-sale systems to stop collecting the tax.

County staff told the board the resolution implements terms of a settlement in litigation over the jail district and that the Arizona Department of Revenue requires 60 daysnotice before the department can stop collecting a locally imposed excise tax. "The tax will end on July 31, pending Board approval today," a county staff member said while presenting the resolution. Supervisor…