MIAMI COUNTY — The plan to add a 0.5% sales tax levy to pay for a new Miami County jail is still on track for the May ballot.
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Space is extremely limited in the maximum security portion of the Miami County Safety Building.
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“We band-aided this for a long time, and that’s why we’re going to the residents, saying it’s just time,” Sheriff Dave Duchak said. “The longer we wait, the more expensive it’s going to get.”
The proposed levy would generate around $80-$90 million to help build a new site right next to the county’s minimum security facility.
For every $100 spent, a consumer would be assessed a 50-cent tax.
County commissioners heard no opposition to that plan at the county’s second public hearing.
“Anybody that buys anything other than food, there’s going to be a half a percent sales tax. And we’re hoping, even though it’s a 10-year tax, and it will end at the end of 10 years, it will sunset, and we will not go past the 10 years,” Gregory Simmons, vice president of Miami County Comissioners said.
Now that the public input is over and the Miami County commissioners have passed the resolution to fund a new jail, the measure will go to legal counsel and the board of elections for approval early next month.
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