Clark County officials weigh jail expansion and a mix of taxes as funding options

Clark County Council and county staff spent the bulk of the April 16 meeting reviewing models for jail expansion, staffing needs and how to pay for them, while stressing that no formal decision was made and further work will continue.

County Manager Kathleen Otto told the council the county faces a structural general-fund gap and laid out a multi-part plan that pairs an operating-cost model with possible revenue levers. "We currently have a structural deficit in the general fund," Otto said, adding the forecasted shortfall is "between 11 and 17 million ongoing." Mark Gassaway, a county staff presenter, walked council through a spreadsheet that phases in additional deputies and the court impacts and shows operating costs for a full jail buildout.

The models separated three pieces: the county's existing operating deficit and court staffing gaps; the incremental costs if Clark County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) added deputies; and the impact on courts and detention if the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) added officers. Gassaway cautioned, "I can guarantee you that these are not actual numbers. These are assumed numbers based on the best information that we have today." He also presented a standalone estimate for the operating cost of a completed jail buildout, phased over construction and staffing timelines.

Why it matters: councilors and staff said jail capital and staffing affect many parts of the county budget and services. Otto noted law-and-justice services make up more than 70% of the general fund and pointed to both capital needs (the existing jail dates to the 1980s) and recurring staffing costs, including the need to hire and train staff in advance of new facility openings.

Revenue options discussed…