Proposed Jail Information

Issue 1

November 2, 2021

Greene County General Election
  • Issue 1 will be on the ballot November 2, 2021.
  • If passed, Issue 1 will provide funding to build a new Sheriff’s Office and Jail Facility.
  • Issue 1 is a ¼% sales tax on purchases made in Greene County.
  • The sales tax would be temporary and is estimated to pay for the entire facility in 10-12 years.
  • The temporary tax would add just 25 cents to a $100 purchase.
  • This is NOT a property tax levy.
  • Up to 40% of the tax would be paid by non-Greene County residents according to estimates.
  • 69% of inmates booked into the Greene County Jail have a home address that is outside of Greene County.
  • The current downtown jail is over 50 years old and is not in compliance with State Jail Standards.  The jail has been under a Federal Consent Decree for over 30 years that limits the number of inmates that can be housed. 
  • The building that houses the Sheriff’s Administrative offices and Law Enforcement division is almost 100 years old and was originally built as a car dealership.
  • The Adult Detention Center(ADC) was built as a short term solution and is not functional to house most inmates.
  • The Greene County Commissioners hired an outside firm to do a needs assessment.  They concluded that the current facilities should be abandoned and a new facility should be built.
  • Combining 3 separate facilities into one will make operations even more efficient than they currently are and provide a modern facility that is safer for employees.
  • The citizens will decide if a temporary sales tax is the best option on November 2, 2021.
  • For more information on the needs assessment visit:  Jail Needs Assessment Report (PDF)