Jail is 'go,' financing up to voters

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Red Willow County commissioners agreed this morning to build a new law enforcement center in McCook, Nebraska, and to build it next door to the courthouse.

The board also agreed unanimously to allow county voters to decide whether they want to finance construction of the jail with bonds whose repayment levy would be outside the county's state-mandated 50-cent levy limit.

If the bonds are voted down in May, levies for both jail operational costs and bond repayment would fall within the 50-cent levy limit.

Commissioner Steve Downer said that without a successful bond election, the county's total tax levy could increase (from the current 38 cents per $100 of tax valuation) to 47-48 cents, all within the levy limit.

With a successful bond vote, the county's tax levy could be about 43 cents within the levy lid, and about 4.6 cents outside the levy lid. "This would give future boards a little (budget) flexibility," Downer said, especially if the state eliminates counties' use of inheritance taxes or if the state reduces and/or eliminates highway allocations to counties.