Idaho Matters

Breaking down the Ada County jail expansion bond

This month people will cast their vote for whether or not the Ada County jail should get an expansion. Idaho Matters takes a look at what passing this bond could mean for inmates and our community.

Broadcast on:: 01 Nov 2023

Five people walk down a long hallway with a concrete floor and white cinderblock walls. Four of the people are waring all black with the words "ada county jail" on them. — (Ada County Sheriff's Office )

Voters headed to the polls between now and Tuesday, Nov. 7 will decide municipal races across the state, and many school districts and counties have bond issues on the ballot as well.

(Hannah Gardoski / Boise State Public Radio )

In Ada County, voters are being asked to approve a $49 million bond to expand the Ada County Jail, a more than $90 million project when you factor in the money already spent or set aside in county coffers, the 49 million the county wants to borrow, and the $22.6 million in interest over 20 years - less if the bond gets paid off early.

The cost to taxpayers is $3.60 per $100,000 in taxable property value each year. That means someone whose primary residence is valued at the median sales price in Ada County last month, $535,000, would pay about $15 a year for this bond.

Ada County Sheriff Matt Clifford joined Idaho Matters to talk about the current situation at the jail and the bond.