Sales tax plan for Oklahoma County jail stymied

Funding to complete a bond-financed jail project in Oklahoma County remained up in the air on Wednesday after an initial plan to place a sales tax on the April ballot lacked county commissioner support.

Commissioner Jason Lowe's motion to hold an election on a 0.625% permanent sales tax died after failing to be seconded on the three-member board.

Under the plan, Lowe said, "the tax will be utilized to issue revenue bonds to complete a new county jail, as well as to provide funding for a permanent solution to the operational and maintenance cost of the jail and our new behavioral health center," adding the tax revenue would also fund other programs and projects.

Since county voters approved $260 million of general obligation bonds in June 2022 for what was then a $316 million detention center replacement project, the price tag rose to about $835 million. The last of the GO bonds were sold in an October competitive issue.

Lowe's plan, which reportedly would raise an estimated $120 million annually and faced opposition from The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, was too high, according to County Commissioner Brian Maughan.

"I have been working with community, elected officials, and business leaders to form a plan that would have a coalition backing," he said in an email. "I believe we are very close to reaching an agreement that can be taken to the voters with assurances that we will have strong community buy in."

The county aims to replace its 13-story detention center in downtown Oklahoma City ? which opened in 1991 and has been under state and federal scrutiny for health, safety, and other concerns ? with a jail being built in phases on property that will also house the behavioral health facility.