Salt Lake County homeowners would pay about $70 more a year in property taxes to fund a $660 million jail overhaul. The plan would close Oxbow Jail, nearly triple mental health beds and create a diversion program for nonviolent offenders.

Mayor Jenny Wilson presented the proposed 2027 budget to the Salt Lake County Council on Tuesday, Oct. 20, according to Gephardt Daily. As we reported Oct. 20, the tax increase would add $5.85 a month for a home valued at about $658,000. Businesses would see an increase of $10.64 a month, or $127.65 a year.

Wilson's proposal would consolidate detention operations at Metro Jail, which opened in 1999 and has not had a major expansion even as the county grew by more than 300,000 residents, according to Wilson's announcement.

The project would add 804 beds at Metro Jail: 684 new and 120 from renovating existing space. Oxbow Jail, which holds 552 general-population beds, would close. System-wide capacity would rise from 2,623 to 2,875 beds, a net gain of 252.

Medical and mental health beds would jump from 136 to 384.

"A jail cell cannot substitute for a functioning mental health system," Wilson said in her Oct. 20 announcement.

Under the plan, eligible nonviolent offenders with mental health challenges would be connected to supervised treatment rather than jailed. A dedicated case management team would report to Criminal Justice Services and the District Attorney's Office. Participants would follow treatment plans, appear in court and meet supervision requirements.

Wilson also proposed setting aside $15 million for a future facility to serve people awaiting treatment placement through diversion or after leaving jail. The budget adds case managers, peer support specialists and resources for supportive housing.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported Wilson acknowledged the proposal comes at a "difficult time for household budgets" and said she denied about $13 million in requests from other county departments.

This would be the county's second property tax hike in two years. In 2024, voters rejected a $507 million public-safety bond with roughly 52% opposed, according to the Millcreek Journal. Sheriff Rosie Rivera told the county's Debt Review Committee in August that "costs have gone up significantly since then."

To fund the project, Wilson proposed a $575 million lease revenue bond repaid over 25 years. The county has already set aside $100 million. The proposed 13.53% rate increase would generate about $39.5 million a year. The county receives roughly 17% of a resident's total property tax bill.

More than 70% of the county's general fund has supported criminal justice functions in recent years, according to Wilson's announcement.

The Salt Lake County Council will review the proposal in public meetings and may change the final amount. A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 6 p.m., followed by a council vote.