Calaveras Goes After Jail Bond

San Andreas, CA — The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors has decided to ask voters to help pay for a new jail.

Tuesday the board met in a special meeting with consultants and staff and voted to put a bond on the November 6 ballot.

The jail was built in 1963 to serve a population of 12,000. Now with the county´s current population of 44,000, the facility is capacity. Since January, more than 300 inmates have been released early. Last year there were 45 years of time that went unserved due to early release.

A new jail would cost $40 million, $30 million of which the county will be asking the state for.

The proposed bond is for $30 million, which includes the county´s $10 million local match to the state for the actual jail and another $20 million for a 911 dispatch center, related sheriff´s facilities and infrastructure.

The board anticipates asking for no more than $20 per $100,000 of assessed value from property owners.

Written by Vanessa Turner.