Yellowstone County commissioners are asking voters in November to approve a $175 million bond for jail expansion and a separate operating mill levy of up to $20 million annually.

The bond would finance the expansion, while the levy would pay for staffing, food, laundry and other costs associated with running the jail.

Levy Could Begin Before Construction Ends

The county could collect some operating revenue before the expanded jail is completed, but officials said the full amount would not be imposed immediately. Collections would be tied to the progress of the expansion.

The county does not yet know how much it would initially collect or spend. Those figures are expected to become clearer as contracting and planning move forward.

County Attorney Scott Twito said the county might impose roughly $5 million to $10 million of the levy after the first year. He said the precise operating need cannot yet be calculated.

“I wish you could say in this funding mechanism that you know exactly to the penny how many dollars you need in operating costs,” Twito said.

Mike Waters said taxpayers should not assume the county would immediately collect the maximum amount. “There’s a misperception that we are going to levy the full amount of the $20 million that’s being asked in the levy right away,” Waters said.

Overcrowding Drives Proposal

The county jail has been housing more than 650 inmates despite a capacity of 434. Officials have used treatment programs, brought providers into the facility, and relied on work release and furloughs into treatment to address overcrowding.

Jack Hanson has questioned whether expanding the jail is the right approach. He cited concerns about the project’s size, its cost and the potential long-term effect on taxpayers.

Waters said the county would work to save taxpayers money during the process. Voters will decide both measures in November.