Downum Headed For Sacramento … Again

San Andreas, CA — Calaveras County Sheriff Dennis Downum will be in Sacramento a week from Thursday for an 8am appearance before the Correction Standards Authority.

This will be the final opportunity for Downum to plead his case for maximum state funding for a jail facility. Downum is hopeful for $30 million from Sacramento. In November voters passed, by the margin of eight-tenths of one percent (67.47%), the $31 million, 30 year Measure “J” bond.

The bond calls for $10 million for the county´s 25% of the total cost of the jail, $14 million for the administration, communications and 911 dispatch center, $6 million for infastructure and $1 million for bond insurance.

The average taxpayer burden has been estimated at $18.37 per $100,000 of assessed valuation.

Downum says a decision by the Authority should come in early January with the final funding decisions to be announced in May.

Downum added that even if the state does not come forth with the proposed $30 million, Calaveras County will still build a new jail. In that case he said plans would have to be rolled back to, perhaps, 180 beds rather than 240.

Written by Bill Johnson