A bond that would contribute $507 million to public safety, criminal justice reform and homelessness solutions in Salt Lake County narrowly trailed in early unofficial returns late Tuesday.
As of 10:30 p.m., the measure had 50.3% opposed to 49.7% in favor. Mayor Jenny Wilson, who has championed the proposal during her reelection campaign, said she was not in a position to claim victory or defeat amid the “incredibly close” margin.
“You’re asking people to have trust and pay more, and I think it’s a very difficult type of initiative to educate on,” Wilson said. “It’s a very complex initiative and I’m pleased that there’s a good chance it will pass. And I’m very committed, as are others at Salt Lake County — including the sheriff — to reform in the right way, and that’s what this bond represented.”
If voters embrace the bond, the county would create a new facility for low-level offenders, combine the two existing jails into one and provide more mental health resources at the Salt Lake County jail.
Under the plan, Oxbow Jail would close. The county’s other jail would be expanded to include more beds, an improved substance use disorder treatment unit, and a transitional unit to prepare inmates to “rejoin society,” according to a county presentation on the bond.
The Oxbow Jail’s demolition would cost about $10 million, but officials estimate the sale of the property would bring about $20 million in revenue that would be used for the total $627 million cost of the county’s public safety and criminal justice reform plan. Another $100 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief money would also chip away at that total price tag, leaving property owners to foot a $507 million bill.
Repaying the bond would cost the average homeowner nearly $60 a year.
