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SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake County voters will decide this fall whether to approve a $507 million public safety bond after the County Council voted 8-1 to place the proposal on the November ballot.
County Mayor Jenny Wilson formally proposed the bond to the council Tuesday afternoon, describing it as an effort to reduce homelessness and improve criminal justice. She said the proposal has been endorsed by Gov. Spencer Cox and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and represents the latest example of collaboration between local, county and state leaders to curb homelessness.
"While Salt Lake County has a very deep investment in human services — we obviously have a mission to run a jail and to address mental health services in our county — we can do more," Wilson said. She called the proposal a "revolutionary change to break the cycle of criminality and homelessness and put people on the path to self-reliance."
The bond would raise funds for the construction of a new Justice and Accountability Center, which would primarily house repeat offenders who have underlying issues such as mental health or substance abuse orders. The center would help connect those people to treatment, employment services, permanent housing opportunities and other support services.
If approved, it would also combine the county's two jails into a single facility with more beds, more mental health services and improved infrastructure. The proposal is part of the county's plan for reform of the criminal justice and human services systems.
The bond would not exceed $507 million over 21 years, with $427 million planned for the jail expansion, $100 million for the Justice and Accountability Center, $90 million for maintenance, and $10 million for the demolition of the current Salt Lake County Oxbow Jail. The county expects to earn $20 million for the sale of the Oxbow property and plans to use $100 million already set aside.
The bond would increase taxes on the average residential property valued at $602,000 by $58.94 annually and on the average business by $107.16 annually.
County officials hope the proposals for additional job training resources, substance use treatment and housing options will decrease the number of repeat criminal offenders and "put people on a path toward self-reliance," according to a county news release.
"The Salt Lake County Jail is the largest mental health provider in the state," Sheriff Rosie Rivera stated. "This bond will improve mental health treatment, provide a better path to success for those involved in the criminal justice system, address homelessness, and reduce crime all while saving taxpayer dollars in the long run."
The council approved placing the bond on the ballot by an 8-1 bipartisan vote, with Councilman Sheldon Stewart the only one opposed. Stewart acknowledged his vote meant he would not "be the popular guy here," but said residents have already complained about being "strapped" by increasing tax burdens and the cost of food.
Salt Lake County Chief Deputy Matt Dumont said the current jail is close to capacity and the sheriff's office spends a lot of time shuttling prisoners between the two facilities. He said the expansion of the jail will be a necessity in years to come as growth continues, and the county could stay ahead of those anticipated changes by approving the bond now.
Wilson said she knows asking voters to increase taxes can be a hard sell but told reporters she hopes voters will see the benefits.
"We don't like — any of us — to pass on, or ask the public to pass on an additional tax burden," she said, "but this is about preserving the community we love and making sure that our family members and our community, our neighbors, our friends who are suffering and unfortunately interfacing with the criminal justice system, have better outcomes."
A public hearing to learn more or share public feedback on the proposal is scheduled for Sept. 17 at 4 p.m. at the Salt Lake County Government Center.
