Ada commission signals that taxpayers should pay to expand overcrowded jail. Here’s how
The Ada County Commission is moving forward with a plan to expand the Ada County Jail using municipal bonds, a project the Ada County Sheriff’s Office has sought for years because of overcrowding.
The County Commission passed a resolution on Thursday that directs county employees to “take all actions necessary or reasonably required to prepare for, work towards, and advance the county’s interests with regard to the holding of the bond election.”
The soonest a bond election could be held would be in November, which the resolution notes is a possibility. At Thursday’s meeting, Commission Chair Rod Beck said putting the question to voters in November would require further commission approval in September. He said the election could also be held at a later date, perhaps in May.
In Idaho, bond measures require two-thirds of voters to approve.
“This does not fully authorize the bond election,” Beck said. “This just initiates the process.”
According to the resolution, the county has hired the law firm Hawley Troxell and Zions Bank to assist with the bonding process.
Separately, the commissioners also approved an agreement to hire Clearwater Financial LLC, a municipal advisory firm, to provide “education services” for the project. Beck said the consultant would help decide when to hold a bond election, or whether to proceed with a bond election at all.
The commissioners’ spokesperson, Elizabeth Duncan, said in an email that the education would be for the “general public.”
Under Idaho law, public officials are prohibited from using public money to “advocate” for ballot measures, though they are allowed to do so personally.
Municipalities often issue general obligation bonds to pay for expensive capital projects. Instead of paying for the costly projects up front, municipalities instead receive loans from bondholders, who will get paid back with interest years later. Cities and counties generally use property taxes or other tax revenue to meet their obligations to creditors.
It is unclear how much the jail expansion will cost. In 2020, the County Commission, then led by Democrats, approved a $44 million plan to expand the jail shortly before the November election, which returned the three-member commission to Republican control. The commissioners intended to finance the project with a lease-purchase agreement, which would not have required voter approval.
That plan did not move forward until now, after the county purchased an adjacent property owned by Darigold in December, which will be part of the expansion. Because of recent legislation, a lease-purchase agreement would now require a majority of voters to approve.
When asked if the commissioners’ action Thursday precluded the county from funding the project by other means, Duncan said: “No, it does not. However, it authorized and directed preliminary action only with respect to a general obligation bond, and not any other type of funding mechanism.”
Ada County wants an expanded jail. How might the county pay for it?
For years, the Sheriff’s Office has advocated for more room at the jail, which would be used to provide extra bed space and an expanded kitchen and transport area. In recent years, dozens of inmates have had to sleep on the floor because of lack of space.
On Tuesday, Sheriff Matt Clifford told the commissioners an expansion was needed as the county has grown rapidly in recent years.
”We are thankful the Ada County Board of Commissioners recognize our community’s problem and are actively pursuing a solution,” sheriff’s spokesman Patrick Orr told the Statesman by text.
Commissioners Beck and Tom Dayley voted for the bond sale. The third commissioner, Ryan Davidson, was absent.
