Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – May 29, 2024 – Craighead County Sheriff Marty Boyd wants to put a half-cent sales tax on the November ballot to pay for a new detention center.
Boyd outlined the plan before the Craighead County Quorum Court on Tuesday during the public comments part of the meeting.
Craighead County Judge Marvin Day said that recent state assessments of the Craighead County Detention Center have noted that the detention center is overcrowded.
“I believe the smart way is to look at a new facility,” Boyd said. “The current one isn’t up to the new standards.”
Under his proposal, the tax would sunset after eight years. The cost for a new jail would be between $90-100 million, he said.
Currently, the facility can hold 392 inmates. A new jail would be able to hold 750-800 inmates, Boyd said.
Boyd said that the jail can’t hold as many misdemeanor offenders because of space limitations. He said many misdemeanor offenders have to be released because of space limitations.
The floor plan for a new facility would double the space for inmates, he said. Boyd said expanding the current facility would cost several million dollars, and it would only last a couple of years before a new expansion would be needed.
“It’s going to be a tough issue,” Boyd said of the proposal. “I see it as the only option to control crime. It’s a need that we’ll put into the voters’ hands.”
Boyd said he favors a sales tax over a millage increase because a sales tax would cover sales to people from all over the region, while a millage would affect county homeowners.
“I want to be 100 percent transparent about this,” he said.
Day said he wants to hear from the public about how they feel, but he said a sales tax with a sunset clause would be more palliative for public support.