MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Replacing the aging jail at 201 Poplar is a step closer to reality, but it comes with a cost to you.
A bill to fund a new jail crossed a hurdle on Wednesday in the state legislature and is now headed to the local government committee before going to the full Senate.
The bill would raise sales tax in Shelby County from 2.75% to 3.75% to pay for building the new jail.
Cameron Allen believes the burden shouldn’t be placed on the community’s back.
“Rather than being reactionary in a way that like damages or like puts the brunt on all the people of the city when we could have been more proactive and like taking care of it as it goes,” said Allen.
Instead of spending $30.83, You will now pay $31.13.
WREG has covered this issue several times in the past, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has been working on the conditions for months.
“The reason for HB0308 is simple: the current jail must be replaced. The question isn’t whether we need a new jail—it’s how we pay for it. A temporary sales tax ensures that funding is fair, transparent, and under the direct control of the citizens. The tax bill intends to give the citizens an option to vote on how they would like to pay for a new jail: through a one-cent sales tax increase or have to deal with the alternative and have their property taxes raised to pay for a new jail,” said the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in a statement.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, this tax would immediately end once the jail is built and paid for, or after eight years, whichever comes first.
They believe this option is a smarter alternative to a permanent property tax increase, which could remain indefinitely.
“[Sheriff Floyd Bonner] is committed to finding a way to fund this critical project without placing a significant tax burden on the citizens of Shelby County,” said the sheriff’s office.
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Currently, the sheriff’s office says there are 2,547 inmates in 201 Poplar, in a jail built to house 2,400. Seven hundred have mental or behavioral health meds for management.
Escalators have not worked for years, so inmates and employees walk the escalators up all six floors. This includes medical emergencies.
Only one of two elevators is working, and 686 doors are set to be replaced in the next two years.
