Maricopa County officials advised to support extension of tax that funds jail system

PHOENIX — Maricopa County officials have been advised to pursue the extension of a small tax that provides significant funding for the metro Phoenix jail system.

With the Jail Excise Tax set to expire in 2027, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors established the Public Safety Funding Committee (PSFC) in January to explore options.

The 0.2% tax raises about $300 million annually. It was originally approved by voters in 1999 and renewed in 2002.

The PSFC issued its recommendations to the board on Monday. Chief among them was to pursue a 20-year extension of the Jail Excise Tax.

“Public safety is about more than putting people in jail, so I’m especially excited that the PSFC’s recommendations include ways we might be able to enhance community re-entry services, help those with mental illness or substance abuse disorders, or provide diversion in certain cases so that our limited resources are focused on the worst offenders who truly pose a risk to the community,” Supervisor Steve Gallardo, the board’s only Democrat, said in a press release.

What can Maricopa County Board of Supervisors do?

While the Maricopa County supervisors may want to lobby for a Jail Excise Tax extension, final say in the matter is out of their hands.

That’s because state law prohibits Maricopa County from putting a sales tax on the ballot.

As a result, a jail tax extension proposal would have to be passed by the state Legislature and signed by the governor before voters can weigh in.

How does Maricopa County jail tax help community?

Thomas Galvin, who sits on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, said it’s an effective way to fund public safety needs as the community grows.

“Public safety is among our most important mandates under state law,” Galvin said in a Monday news release.

The Jail Excise Tax brought in $270 million last year, according to county data.

“No one wants to end up in a place where we aren’t sure how to pay for the facilities that house violent criminals or the programming that can help people turn their lives around once they are released from custody,” Galvin said.

How committee came to recommend Jail Excise Tax extension

PSFC members toured jails and met with key stakeholders before making recommendations.

“As citizens, we gained valuable insight into the essential work of all of the county’s public safety partners,” former Gilbert Mayor John Lewis, who leads the nine-person committee, said in the release.

The rest of the PSFC members come from various backgrounds that range from law enforcement and correctional health to government and business.

“While the work isn’t done, what we’ve presented today moves us closer to realizing the county’s vision for a community-informed effort to build safe neighborhoods, foster trust between residents and first responders, and ensure taxpayer funds are used effectively,” Lewis said.