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Polling shows weak voter support; county budgets outreach to boost understanding before any ballot ask
Summary
Staff presented polling that showed little voter support for tax-backed jail packages; the board approved funding for a 12-month public-education effort in the 2026 budget and directed that outreach be paired with public-safety framing.
County polling conducted earlier in 2025 found weak voter backing for tax increases to fund a new detention facility and limited movement when options were paired with other public-safety investments, staff reported.
Deputy County Manager Jeff Holiday summarized the polling: when respondents were asked about higher taxes to support a new detention facility the net opposition was roughly 65%; even when the facility was paired with other safety or community investments support peaked near 36% in the best-performing framing and fell when exact per-household costs were shown. Holiday said the polling sample included 1,200 registered voters with a ±2.8% margin of error.
Commissioners said the county must invest in a sustained, public-facing education campaign if it hopes to build a future ballot pathway. Staff said the county completed an RFP for outreach consultants and included funding in the 2026 budget to support at least a 12-month effort; the consultant is expected to provide a recommended timeline, messaging and whether to pursue a ballot in a given year.
Staff cautioned that polling results have not produced a clear, viable path to voter approval of a new facility so far; the board agreed to continue COP planning to address immediate facility needs while pursing long-term education and engagement.
Next steps: staff will bring a consultant-driven outreach timeline and recommendations to future study sessions and coordinate messaging between public-safety and communications specialists.
