KOOTENAI COUNTY, Id. -- Kootenai County voters soundly rejected a $57 million bond to expand the jail. Less than half of the voters supported the measure. That's well short of the two-thirds super-majority needed for approval.
Even though the bond failed, Kootenai County jail still has crowding problems. Commissioners say the county will keep sending inmates elsewhere, which will still cost taxpayers money.
"I wasn't surprised. I wasn't pleased but I wasn't surprised," said Kootenai County Commissioner Rich Piazza.
Commissioners say Tuesday night's measure is probably the last time they'll try to pass a jail expansion bond.
"I'm gong to speak for myself, personally. We've done this three times now. I don't think people are ready for it. We'll just do the best we can with what we have to work with," said Piazza.
The $57 million bond was far less than last year's $145 million proposal. And it would have taken advantage of a local option sales tax, which expires at the end of the year. Commissioners speculate the poor economy doomed their effort. They'll resort to cutting deals with other counties and jails to hold inmates.
Meanwhile, the county is still working on an agreement to move part of the Sheriff's Office into the old Army Reserve Center.
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