Canyon County Sheriff sounds alarm about jail overcrowding, calls out lawmakers

CALDWELL, Idaho (CBS2) — The Canyon County Sheriff is sounding the alarm about overcrowding at the jail and he's calling out lawmakers for failing to pass a measure that could get the county one step closer to raising the money needed for a new facility.

"It's a ridiculous game that we're playing," said Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue.

A game Canyon County has had to play for roughly three decades- letting people out of jail so others can go in. They're forced to ask a judge to do that, he said.

"Some of the people we do know, who the judge is releasing and that causes us even more concern because we know what they're capable of doing," Donahue said.

And he says some of the people they're letting out now are accused of more dangerous crimes. He calls it Russian roulette.

"There is no crystal ball that tells us whether this person is going to reoffend, commit a new felony crime, commit a heinous crime, up to and including murder. We don't know," Donahue said.

Several times Canyon County voters have rejected a bond to build another jail.

Donahue says the solution is a local option tax, but it requires a change to state law, and he claims lawmakers are standing in the way.

For four years he's been asking them to allow a temporary half cent or one cent sales tax in Canyon County.

He says that would be enough to cover the cost of a new jail. There would be no need to burden homeowners, he said.

"Everybody is paying for public safety. The people who are living in my jail are paying to house themselves," Donahue said.

Voters in Canyon County would still need to approve if it were passed by the legislature.

Donahue says even Governor Little is on board, but not key members of the legislature.

"What we get is pushback from the Speaker of the House, Mike Moyle and others that 'No, we're not going to do that.' Why aren't we doing that?" Donahue said.

CBS2 reached out to Speaker Moyle for his response to Sheriff Donahue's comments. We did not hear back yet but will update this story if we do.

We did hear from two Canyon County lawmakers, Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa, and Sen. Ben Adams, R-Nampa.

Lenney said he just doesn't think a local option tax makes sense.

"I think it's like adding insult to injury because we're already seeing sales tax revenues and revenue share skyrocket, not just in Canyon County but all throughout the state. So instead of adding another you know, another new tax for people in Canyon County, the sheriff should focus on honestly making a stronger case for a bond for another jail. If people keep rejecting the bond just like school bonds and levies that people reject, the people don't want it," Lenney said by phone.

Plus he worries it might mean people deciding to shop in neighboring counties to avoid that extra tax, hurting local businesses.

Adams said Donahue is going to continue to face opposition to a local option tax. He said he recognizes the long-standing problem with the jail, but he doesn't think a local option tax is the way to raise the funds needed, saying, "no matter how you, you know, pitch it, ultimately a local option sales tax is just an additional tax on the citizens."

"Let the people decide if they want to put a local option tax on the table to build a facility to protect them from the criminality, but it's up to the legislature and their feet should be held to the fire. The governor has already said he will support it. Now it's time to do their damn job," Donahue said.

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