SALT LAKE CITY — More than two-thirds of the over 30,000 people booked into Salt Lake County Jail every year are repeat offenders, according to county statistics.
This is partially because — with a lack of bed space — those booked for relatively low-level offenses are often released quickly to prioritize space for those being held for violent crimes, said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. She said understands why residents feel frustrated about this because low-level crimes are still important to victims of those crimes.
“We are at capacity and we need another solution,” she said Friday, pointing out that the jail has remained at the same bed capacity since 2001 despite the county’s population growth since then.
It’s also why she supports a $507 million bond that Salt Lake County residents will decide on next month. The measure would help the county build 812 new county jail beds, along with expanded mental health treatment options, a unit helping people who are leaving jail to “rejoin society.”
A new justice and accountability center, a lower-security facility for low-level repeat offenders, would also be constructed. The center would feature more access to mental health services, substance use treatment, job training and other resources to help.
Rivera is one of a bipartisan coalition of state, county and local leaders, as well as community advocates, who came together at the state Capitol on Friday to make one last pitch to voters before the Nov. 5 election. The list includes most members of the Salt Lake County Council and multiple city mayors.
They argue that the projects outlined in the bond funds will improve service and help reduce repeat offenders, helping turn people’s lives around so they can successfully reenter their communities. They add that projects will also make the county safer, which could boost the local economy as well, answering concerns about public safety that they believe have become a major concern among residents.
“This bond is a critical investment in our community’s well-being,” said Mike Mower, senior adviser of community outreach and intergovernmental relations for Gov. Spencer Cox. “This bond will help expand the infrastructure needed to provide more beds and consolidate facilities while investing in mental health services and treatment programs.”
Thousands of county residents have already made up their minds. Nearly one-fifth of the county’s registered voters have either already voted early or submitted their mail-in ballots as of Friday, according to data released by Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, whose office oversees elections.
The results won’t be known until after polls close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 5, but the bond has stirred up plenty of social media reactions.
Those opposed have voiced concerns about the cost on taxpayers. If approved, the bond would add $58.94 to the property tax collection for a resident with an average home value of $602,000, or almost $5 monthly. The average business may end up paying closer to $9 a month, according to the Salt Lake City Downtown Alliance.
County officials contend that it will save taxpayers money in the long run, as the projects can potentially cut into the rising cost of each person booked.
“If we don’t spend the money now, we will pay for it later both in terms of aging infrastructure and the recidivism that occurs by not addressing the problem,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson.
Aside from cost, some fear the bond focuses too much on incarcerating people for low-level offenses.
The jail reform nonprofit Salt Lake Community Bail Fund wrote this week that it agrees money should go toward mental health services and community resources but also toward housing options before expanding jail capacity.
“The bond is being billed as saving money, but is written under the assumption that increased jailing needs to happen,” it wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday, adding that it believes the county could improve access to those struggling with homelessness and mental health issues without incarceration.
It’s unclear what will happen if the bond fails.
Wilson said she’s “optimistic” that the bond will be approved, especially since it has gathered together people from different political ideologies. If not, the county will look at alternatives.
“We will regroup if need be — as early as the day after,” she said. “We really need this investment. We’re hoping the public understands that.”
Correction: A previous version stated all members of the county council support the bond.
