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Commissioners ask administrator to negotiate over sheriff's $752 million enforcement ask and weigh a new law-enforcement MSTU
Summary
Staff outlined an option to create a law-enforcement MSTU for unincorporated areas that could raise funds for the sheriff's operations, while commissioners asked the administrator to negotiate to shrink the sheriff's 2027 request and return with options that protect countywide functions.
County staff told commissioners the sheriff's 2027 request includes a sizable increase and that one structural option is creating a dedicated law-enforcement MSTU for unincorporated areas.
Staff estimated the law-enforcement portion of a full 10-mil dependent district could be about 6.5149 mills for unincorporated areas and that, based on 2027 estimated values, that portion would generate roughly $675 million. Staff also noted the sheriff's proposed law-enforcement budget is around $752 million, which would leave a shortfall if the MSTU alone funded just the county's unincorporated share.
Why it matters: commissioners must balance countywide obligations (jail, court services and other countywide law-enforcement support) and contract arrangements with municipalities if a separate MSTU is formed. The workshop discussion showed the MSTU would change who pays for unincorporated area policing while countywide functions would remain under the county general fund.
Key points: - Funding gap: staff said a 6.5149-mil allocation for unincorporated law enforcement would likely generate about $675 million under 2027 values; staff added the sheriff's law-enforcement ask was quoted at about $752 million, leaving the county to consider alternatives to fully fund the request. - Service continuity: presenters emphasized that core county responsibilities such as the jail and court services would remain county-funded even if law enforcement revenue were shifted to an MSTU. - Vote and timing: creating an MSTU and setting a millage for a new special district have statutory timing constraints; staff said the ordinance would need to be in place before Dec. 31 to levy in fiscal 2028, and setting a new millage could involve different voting thresholds.
Board reaction: commissioners asked detailed questions about how contracts with cities would change, whether school crossing guards and other functions could be segmented from sheriff funding, and how the MSTU would affect incorporated-property taxpayers. Several commissioners asked the administrator to open negotiations with the sheriff to find compromises that help close the overall $20—$30 million countywide gap while minimizing service losses.
Next steps: the board directed the administrator to negotiate with the sheriff and return with options by the July hearings. Any MSTU ordinance would require further legal and public-notice steps before implementation.
