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County seeks law-and-justice master plan, market analysis; jail rebuild estimated at $473 million
Summary
County leadership recommended funding a countywide law-and-justice master plan, public participation and a market analysis and urged consideration of the new criminal justice sales tax; staff also outlined a $473 million estimate for jail capital work and $36.8 million annual staffing cost to operate a renovated jail.
Clark County officials on Wednesday asked the council to fund a law-and-justice master plan and a detailed market analysis and public participation program to guide future decisions about jail capacity, courthouse needs and staffing.
The county manager (presenting) told council that staff recommends completing a master plan, market analysis and public engagement by the second quarter of 2026 to determine the viability and timing of a future ballot measure for capital financing. “The recommendation is to move forward with a law and justice master plan, a detailed market analysis, and a public participation plan,” the county manager said.
Staff outlined capital and operating cost estimates for a major jail renovation or rebuild. The capital estimate shown in the presentation was about $473 million, which staff said would translate to approximately $28 million per year in annual bond payments. Staff also reported an estimated $36.8 million in annual operating costs to staff and run a new facility and emphasized that operations must be solvable before building: “We want to make sure that we actually can do that,” the county manager said.
Staff noted a multi-pronged funding discussion that includes potential ballot measures (public safety sales tax or a criminal justice sales tax), bonding, and intergovernmental partnerships with cities. The county described a new criminal justice sales tax passed at the state level that could generate roughly $14.5 million in 2026 if fully collected countywide; the sheriff reported the county is “99.9% sure” it is eligible for the grant program tied to that tax but legal review is ongoing.
Councilors generally supported the recommendation to proceed with a market analysis and public outreach before putting any large-scale bond or tax measure before voters. Several council members stressed timing and the need to demonstrate community need and feasibility prior to a ballot measure.
Staff also recommended continuing near-term projects — such as the jail work center and therapeutic housing (HPOD) expansion — to add capacity while the master plan and market study are completed.
