TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos says the County Jail is so run down, he’d like Pima Supervisors to impose a new half-cent sales tax to pay for a new jail.
The Sheriff says the jail is not only overcrowded, it’s plagued with crumbling concrete and water leaks so serious, it makes more sense to build a new jail than to keep patching up the old one.
He says it’s a terrible environment not just for inmates, but for the officers who work there.
"For me it's a disgusting place to work. It is a horrific work environment," Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said during the meeting. "And this is for a job that, if it was at its best—in the most pristine condition—it's a tough job."
"But now it's at a condition that is just just deplorable," said Nanos.
Nanos cited mold, flooding and an overall deteriorating infrastructure. He said, "We can throw millions of dollars at it all we want, every day. It's not going to get better. In fact it’s getting worse."
Nanos is suggesting that Supervisors impose the half-cent sales tax without asking voters to approve it. He suggested the potential funds could be further used to support law enforcement agencies across Pima County.
Supervisors asked County Administrator Jan Lesher to work with the Sheriff to refine the idea before they consider further action.
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
