Lafayette County Defeats Jail/Law Enforcement Complex Bonds

Lafayette County Voters have defeated a proposal to extend their current county sales tax to fund upgrades to the county’s jail complex.  The proposal would have extended the current sales tax to expand the county’s 62 bed jail by 40 beds.  The current sales tax is set to sunset in about 4 years.  Had the proposal passed, the sales tax would have continued for another 26 years.  This would have raised approximately $5.7 million dollars for the jail improvements and had the potential to cost taxpayers up to $10.5 million dollars.

Lafayette County’s current county sales tax is 2.25 percent.  Of that 2.25 pecent, 1 per cent is earmarked for solid waste and 1.25 percent for the jail.  Opponents to the sales tax extension on the jail said they felt finances should be directed to preparing the city and county infrastructure projects in anticipation of growth from the lithium industry as opposed to expanding the jail to house inmates from other counties.