Cochise County plans to put new jail on ballot, seeks arguments for and against

Cochise County is accepting arguments for and against an excise tax to help fund a new jail and the improvement of detention services.

County residents will be able to vote for or against a half-cent tax to help fund construction and operation of a new jail in a special election to be held May 16.

The tax would be imposed for no more than 25 years.

According to the county, a recent assessment found the main Cochise County jail in Bisbee had lasted twice its expected life.  The county relies on the jail in Bisbee and two temporary holding facilities, one in Sierra Vista and one in Willcox, to house all people arrested in the county.

Safety concerns, plumbing and power capacity issues, leaks and technology problems are among the issues at the current jail. The 40-year-old facility was built to hold 168 people but has grown to hold as many as 302 inmates.

"We saw firsthand the state of the jail. It’s clear that the current situation is unsustainable. The problems cannot be overcome with money. It’s at its end of life," retired Cochise County Superior Court Judge James Conologue at a Jail District Public Outreach Committee meeting in 2022.

Renovating the existing jail facility would be costly and would not address other needs such as officer safety, increased space and staffing for 24-hour jail medical services, according to the county.

If a jail taxing district and the tax is approved, funding from county residents would help pay for increased medical services. The county also is working to secure outside funding, including $20 million from the state, which would depend on funding already established for the jail.

Jane Montgomery, the county’s public information officer, noted that the county jail facilities do not have adequate staff to handle the increasing number of inmates who suffer from mental illness.

Because the current facility is not equipped to address challenges with opioid and drug addiction and other medical needs, the county spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on medical treatment, she said in an email.

“Nearly two-thirds of inmates have received mental health services at some point in their lifetime. The staff often have to use isolation facilities for seriously mentally ill patients, which can only exacerbate their conditions, or holding cells, which can cause safety concerns for other inmates,” Montgomery said.

The jail district sales tax would provide money to address these medical issues while reducing reliance on outside treatment and transportation, she said.

All arguments must be submitted by 5 p.m. Feb. 15 and must not exceed 300 words. An argument must contain the name, address and telephone number of the people signing it. Only their names and city of residence will appear in a publicity pamphlet that will be sent out to county voters.

Other requirements can be found on the county’s jail district webpage.

Arguments must be emailed to the clerk of the board at board@cochise.az.gov or delivered to the office of the clerk of the Board of Supervisors, Building G, 1415 Melody Lane, Bisbee, AZ 85603.

Coverage of southern Arizona on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is funded by the nonprofit Report for America in association with The Republic.

Reach the reporter at sarah.lapidus@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cochise County plans vote on new jail, seeks arguments for and against