11/08/16   Cleveland County Sales Tax

Voters in Cleveland County will decide today the fate of a proposed new  Cleveland County Jail. Voters will decide on two proposed sales taxes, they will be voted on separately, 1 percent sales tax dedicated solely to pay for construction of the jail. That tax will have a sunset clause and would be paid off in about 23 to 30 years.

The second tax, 1.5 percent would pay for maintenance, operations, and if needed, for construction costs of a county jail. The county jail was found not in compliance following a state jail inspection earlier this year and the Cleveland County Quorum court voted to put the sales tax issues before the voters today.

The jail would be a 47 bed facility. The cost of construction was placed at 6.7 million dollars. Cleveland county Sheriff Jack Rodgers has made several public meetings throughout Cleveland County prior to the election to answer questions residents might have about the proposed new jail.

If the jail is not approved, the Sheriff says he'd have to “farm out” Cleveland County inmates to other detention centers in the area.