Cochise County jail-tax spending questioned at public comment; board approves consent items

A resident urged Cochise County officials on Sept. 16 to disclose detailed records of jail-district tax revenues and spending at a Jail District meeting in Bisbee, saying the sums collected and paid so far differ from what voters were told. After public comment, the Jail District board approved consent agenda items 1 and 2.

The comment came from Miss Morse, who said she attended multiple two-hour town-hall meetings and still had questions about the district’s finances. "We were initially told that 13 to $14,000,000 was collected, and I've recently learned that the total income was almost $17,300,000," Morse said. She added that "over 1 and a half million dollars has already been spent, so the current balance is over 15 and a half million dollars." Morse asked whether more revenues are expected and why there is…