Some Answers

In a comment to my last post "Not This Year" JulieG asked the question:
"I would be curious just how much of the capital expenditures on correctional facilities (jail, juvenile) results from unfunded mandates thanks to the federal govt."

Yavapai Central posed the question to all three district supervisors, county administrator Julie Ayers, and Yavapai County Sheriff Steve Waugh. So far we've received two replies, one from Sheriff Waugh and one from District 2 Supervisor Tom Thurman.

First Sheriff Waugh's reply:

The mandates to have a Constitutional Jail and the necessary capital expenses associated with that are based in Constitutional Law (Cruel and Unusual Punishment), the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act and the U.S. Supreme Courts interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.

All of these focus on treating individuals humanly and the elimination of dungeon type prisons and jails. There are numerous Federal Mandates in our business that require resources whether it be people or things and the Federal Government never proportionately provides funding. However, we receive numerous Federal Grants but most are not tied to capital expenses; but if we did not maintain our Jail Facilities and meet other Federal requirements those Grants would not be available.

Overall the County, by State law is required to build jails and therefore the cost associated to them are borne solely by the County not the Feds. Although jails are expensive to build, it is a one time cost. The real problem is the shortage of money to run them – the annual operating costs. That is where we are presently suffering and will continue to suffer unless significant monies are taken from the General Fund or elsewhere which means many of the entitlement programs for citizens would have to disappear!

In reality the Federal Government is headed to a Socialistic environment so I know that no entitlements are going away and even more are in our future. Therefore, the costs of operating jails and building them will not get any better and therefore we are back to the point of Julie G’s question –“Who is going to pay”- it is you and me not the Federal Government!!!!

And second a short reply from Supervisor Thurman:

ACLU seems to mandate many things and we let them on fear of law suits!

If we get in any other replies we'll post them for sure! Thanks for the question, JulieG.