Citizens Bond Oversory Board backs sales-tax election to fund new Oklahoma County jail

The Citizens Bond Oversight Advisory Board voted to support a proposal to hold a special election asking Oklahoma County voters to approve a county sales tax dedicated to construction and operation of a new county jail.

The action came after board members and county staff reviewed funding options, including public-private partnership proposals and existing bonding capacity, and discussed the possible consequences of federal involvement and the county’s responsibility to repay federal costs if the county did not move forward on a local financing plan.

The motion as read into the record by Cassie, staff member, said: “The Citizens Bond Oversight Advisory Board, recognizing the urgent need to support public safety and to replace the current jail to ensure the safety and security of our community, supports the proposal to hold a special election, seeking voter approval for a county sales tax dedicated to the construction and operation of a new county jail.” Cassie read the motion aloud after a board member offered it and another board member seconded it; the transcript shows the board then voted and the motion passed.

County staff and board members said sales tax appeared to be the only viable option to raise the scale of revenue the project requires. Stacy, county staff, told the board that bonding capacity is nearly exhausted and that other revenue sources “just wouldn't put a dent” in the project cost. A county staff speaker said a federal-built facility remains a remote risk but could cost the county as much as $1,000,000,000 and that the county would have up to three years to reimburse the federal government, which would fall to property (ad valorem) taxes if not covered otherwise.

Board members and members of the public also discussed the mental-health unit planned alongside the detention center. Mister Trumbo, county staff member presenting an earlier project update, said the behavioral health center is intended to operate “in support of the jail” so that people arrested and screened as having qualifying mental-health needs can be diverted to treatment rather than booked into jail. Mister Trumbo said HOK is continuing design work and that work on the behavioral health center may begin as soon as weather allows.

Public comment and board questions focused on staffing and cost allocation. A public commenter identified in the record as Deacon asked whether Oklahoma City should contribute to construction and staffing, noting an assertion that roughly 65% of inmates come from Oklahoma City police arrests. Stacy, county staff, responded that because the jail is a county-owned facility, Oklahoma City residents already contribute via county taxes; separate annual negotiations determine a fee the city pays for housing people arrested on municipal charges. County staff said many detainees are held on state charges, which the county currently bears, and estimated that the number of inmates held on city charges is low (one speaker said “about 30 a day” for city charges and another said “maybe only 50” were municipal-charged inmates at one point). Staffing shortages for the existing facility were raised as a concern when scaling up to a larger detention center.

Board members emphasized coordination with other local funding efforts and the need to present a clear case to voters. Sandino Thompson, Member, Citizens Bond Oversight Advisory Board, and Javier Nira, Member, Citizens Bond Oversight Advisory Board, both spoke in favor of moving ahead with the sales-tax option as the most practicable path forward.

Votes at a glance: the board approved the motion to support a special election for a county sales tax dedicated to construction and operation of a new Oklahoma County Jail; the transcript records the motion being seconded and a vote taken, and the chair announced the motion passed. The board also approved minutes from the November 26 meeting and took routine procedural actions (see "Actions" below).

The board indicated it will continue to refine the sales-tax proposal details and return with specific tax parameters and additional recommendations at a future meeting.