Keep Bailing

Currently, the Santa Barbara jail being used is 40 percent over it’s recommend capacity level. Luckily, the State of California, through the Assembly Bill 900, has put up $56.3 million, (70 percent) for the county of Santa Barbara to construct a new jail in North County. Due to the recession, cost of construction will be hard to acquire, however, the Santa Barbara County already owns the land where they want to place the jail.

Even with overcrowding issues, other obstacles are still preventing Sheriff Brown from getting his new jail built. A $15 to $17 million annual budget is required for the operation of the jail, and while the state has already issued a generous amount, there is still $23.7 million needed to build the jail itself. In 2000, voters opposed the building of this new jail with a ballot total consisting of a two-to-one measure, under a lower proposed building cost.

This past Tuesday, Sheriff Brown proposed Read more »