Spokane County seeks voter support to continue funding juvenile detention center

SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. -- Spokane County is concerned for the dwindling support of a number of publicly funded services. That's why it's making a big push to continue to fully fund the Juvenile Detention Center.

Funding for the center has come from a 0.1% sales tax, which has been renewed by voters four times since 1995.

It was most recently renewed in 2015 with nearly 70% of voters supporting it. But current county leaders are still worried about Measure 1 failing this November.

"We need to be taking care of our juveniles so they don't end up in this facility," said Mary Kuney, board chair for the County Board of Commissioners. "That way they can be a productive member of our society."

The sales tax currently generates just under $16 million per year. Around $7 million of that is used to fully find the Juvenile Detention Facility. The rest goes toward funding the county's adult jail.

Funding through the tax also creates 140 jobs, according to the county.

"The work that we do here is entirely dependent on the renewal of this sales tax," said Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels. "As Commissioner Kuney said, it's a renewal. It's not going to pay for any new facilities, it's not going to pay for any new programming."

If the sales tax isn't approved by voters, the county would still have to find other ways to fund the facility.

There are a few positions that aren't mandatory, like medical and mental health specialists, but cutting those positions could cost taxpayers more in the long run.

"To send kids out to the hospital if we don't have that mental health or that medical team here.. is going to be an extensive cost to the county," said Tori Peterson, the Juvenile Court Services Director for the county.

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