In a press conference last week, community advocates gathered in front of the Oklahoma County Detention Center and held signs reading "no jail tax" and "build safety, not jail capacity." They took turns speaking out against an upcoming ballot measure — a proposed sales tax to fund the construction and operation of a new county jail.
Kevin McDaniel is an organizer with Home Base — an Oklahoma collective of individuals who reject mass incarceration and are pushing back against new jail proposals.
"Voters are being asked to make a major decision about the future of our community," McDaniel said. "We're asking the public and the media to look closely at the erroneous decisions made by the county that have led us to this jail tax, and ultimately, vote no."
In 2022, Oklahoma County voters approved a $260 million bond to construct a new jail. The project's price tag ballooned, and it's now estimated to cost $860 million. But the county began construction on the new facility without a plan to cover the massive budget shortfall.
A proposed sales tax on the Nov. 3 ballot aims to fill the gap and keep construction going. If approved, the measure would create a four-tenths-of-a-cent sales tax in Oklahoma County. It would last for 25 years, beginning on April 1, 2027, and ending on March 1, 2051.
Many public officials are asking voters to say "yes" to the tax. They say the current jail's infrastructure deters people from working there, contributes to long booking times and limits attorney-client meetings.
"The vote is framed around a building, but it's ultimately a question of what kind of public safety system we want, what outcomes we're paying for and what alternatives deserve our attention," McDaniel said.
Why do opponents oppose the tax?
From system-impacted individuals to state senators, speakers stepped up to the mic to explain their opposition. They discussed conditions inside the current facility, economic concerns, and alternative solutions to change jail outcomes.
Many residents who oppose the sales tax say it would give county officials a "blank check." Nathan Wiewel, a Home Base organizer, echoed that sentiment.
"The county has not given us numbers on what is it going to take to build this [...] there is no sheet of paper that exists that says, 'here is what this facility is going to cost,'" Wiewel said. "They should put together a complete plan before we vote on the legislation."
The county has said the amount needed to repair the current jail could be enough to build an entirely new facility. One reporter asked Wiewel to respond to that claim.
"If it is so clear-cut that the cost of building a new facility is cheaper than the cost of repairing this facility, it sounds like it wouldn't be that difficult for the county to put those numbers in front of us as a community," Wiewel said.
County officials provided a written plan outlining how the sales tax revenue would be used. It prioritizes the new jail's construction, but it would also fund facility operations, diversion programs, mental health facilities and supporting infrastructure.
The county has not released any documents specifying the dollar amounts needed to fund each goal, or specified how percentages of revenue would be allocated. In addition to that, Oklahoma County has gained some notoriety this year due to seemingly endless budget confusion.
"How did a project that voters were told could be funded through the original bond grow over 300% in just four years? What controls will prevent further cost increases? Who is accountable if the final price exceeds current estimates, and what will we do then?" asked Madison Lovell, a co-organizer with Home Base.
Lovell said she is in favor of supporting diversion and behavioral health programs, but the tax isn't equipped to properly address those needs.
"Those are important goals, which is why voters deserve to understand exactly how those commitments will be implemented, how much funding will reach them, and what accountability will ensure those programs receive meaningful support," Lovell said. "The public deserves clear answers."
Over 80% of the people inside the current jail are pretrial. They haven't been convicted, but they can't afford to pay bail.
Chaplain DeBorah Boneta said proponents of the jail sales tax have framed it as a moral choice. She said that makes it even more important to vote against the tax.
"We should be careful about treating one large construction project as the measure of our commitment to public safety, human dignity and morality," Boneta said. "If we believe that people can recover, change, rebuild their lives, then we should demand opportunities to intervene before incarceration becomes the answer."
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
