Shasta County supervisors told sales tax increase only feasible way to expand jail

Campaign promises got a reality check at Tuesday night’s Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting.

Deputy County Executive Officer Erin Bertain told supervisors that the county doesn’t have the money to expand the existing jail in downtown Redding at a cost estimated at $150 million — and one that does not include the annual cost of between $15 million and $18 million to staff and operate the facility.

“There is no excess ongoing fund balance that can be used to fund the ongoing cost of this facility and there is no reasonable expectation of revenue increasing in a material way that would exceed cost inflation factors,” Bertain said during her presentation. “The only way to increase revenue in a meaningful way would be to increase revenue by a sales tax increase.”

She also noted that there are no state or federal grants available to help build a jail.

To bring in enough money to keep the new jail’s doors open, Bertain said a 1-cent sales tax hike is the only viable option.

Supervisors Kevin Crye, Patrick Jones and Chris Kelstrom have been campaigning to expand the jail. Supervisor Tim Garman has said it would be nice to build a new jail, but he has emphasized for months that it’s a fantasy because the county didn’t have the money.

Supervisors voted 3-2 for county staff to come back with a plan to put a measure on the November ballot for a specific 1-cent sales tax, which would require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Garman and Supervisor Mary Rickert voted no because they wanted staff to also consider looking at a general sales tax measure, which would only require a 50% plus one majority to pass.

The county and city of Redding have tried before to pass tax measures to fund public safety with no luck. Most recently, Shasta Count voters rejected a 1-cent specific tax in March 2020.

Meanwhile, Jones was especially vocal during his failed re-election bid this past winter when, during a candidates’ forum in February, he told the crowd the county’s top priority is to expand the jail this year. He said it would be the most expensive project the county has ever undertaken, calling it “a state-of-the-art” facility.

Jones later told the Record Searchlight that he was working with County Executive Officer David Rickert (no relation to Mary Rickert), Health and Human Services Agency Director Laura Burch and public works officials on a plan, noting that about half of the amount to expand the jail would be financed and the balance, about $62 million, would in part come from other departments.

Jones lost the March 5 election to challenger Matt Plummer by 20 percentage points. Plummer will be seated as District 4 supervisor in January.

Crye, who said he started having conversations about the jail expansion with county staff last fall, said on Tuesday that there are "no cuts, there is no way that it’s going to happen without a sales tax.”

While supervisors said they were not opposed to putting a tax measure on the ballot, Crye and Kelstrom said they would not support such a measure.

“For me, personally, I won’t support a sales tax. I think we’re taxed to death,” Crye said. Jones said he might support it if the tax was specific to funding the jail.

The supervisors’ lack of enthusiasm to get behind a tax hike frustrated some residents who addressed the officials.

Benjamin Nowain reminded supervisors that they approved a 59% pay increase for themselves earlier this month. “The optics of such a raise, especially when juxtaposed with your reluctance to support a community tax, paints a picture of the board being more concerned with personal gain than public service,” Nowain said.

Nick Gardner told supervisors that he would support a sales tax hike specifically for the jail. "The reason I would vote for it is because I would vote for my safety," Gardner said.

Supervisor Garman said the $34 million the county has secured in jail construction funds now needs to be spent elsewhere since the jail isn’t getting built.

“Maybe it’s best that we take the $34.2 million and put it back into programs that will make a difference in the daily lives of our citizens,” Garman said.

Jones said even if voters reject a sales tax hike, the county should continue to save money and put dollars toward a new jail.

The existing jail on West Street in downtown Redding was designed in the 1970s and opened in 1984. Supervisors have been told the aging facility is past its life expectancy. The multistory building has security issues, due to its stairwells and elevators, and can only hold so many inmates.

Supervisors have talked about expanding the facility by 256 beds and potentially using the old courthouse as part of the expansion. The courthouse has been vacant since February, when the new courthouse opened across the street.

County commits to Denver flights

Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a $100,000 commitment to the city of Redding for direct flights to Denver.

The city was asking the county for the financial commitment to help fund a $2 million revenue guarantee connected to the Denver flights, should Redding get them. The guarantee would be an account United could draw from should the company need to make up for a slow quarter.

Supervisors Crye and Garman called the money a good investment toward bringing more tourists to Shasta County, which would also bring more money into the community.

Redding could find out in the next nine to 12 months whether it’s getting the round-trip flights to Denver.

Eric Woodstrom, board chair of the Shasta Economic Development Corporation, said it would be one flight a day. He did not know when the flight would leave for Denver or when it would return to Redding.

Redding stills need approximately $1 million to reach the $2 million mark.

Assistant City Manager Steve Bade has said the balance could come from other investors in the community.

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on X, formerly Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Shasta County supervisors told raise taxes to expand existing jail