A 3/8 cent Prop L sales tax enhancement will appear on the November 3 ballot for the construction of a new Boone County Jail. There is a 15-year sunset on the 3/8 cent Prop L enhancement that will cover the bond payments for the initial build out of a new facility; will help fund increased operating costs; and will provide an opportunity to set back the initial funds necessary for the future Phase 2 construction.
The Phase 1 construction will hold approximately 570 beds and will take a minimum of four years to open. The facility will be built to accommodate more mental health care, medical treatment, and rehabilitation.
What is the Current Situation at the Boone County Jail?
The Current Situation: Due to the high number of court orders requiring defendants to be held in the Boone County Jail, Boone County is consistently holding more Boone County detainees out of the county than housing detainees in the Boone County Jail.
Currently, to meet its statutory responsibilities, the Boone County Jail pays 14 other counties to house Boone County detainees. In 2025, the average daily out-of-county count was over 140 detainees. 2026 is trending significantly higher than 2025. If Boone County is responsible for these detainees, Boone County should be equipped to house them.
Financial Impact: In 2024, Boone County paid over $900k to house Boone County detainees outside of Boone County. The costs skyrocketed in 2025 to over $2.5M. Boone County is projected to pay over $4M this year based on the first half of 2026 ($2.1M through June 30). This does not include transportation and overtime costs associated with transporting detainees to and from other jails across the state of Missouri. The transportation duties for detainees held out of county not only impacts the detention team, it also regularly pulls sheriff’s deputies off the road to assist in transport to and from other counties to comply with court orders.
This cost curve is unsustainable. A new local facility is a long-term investment instead of a recurring expense with no lasting asset. We must make the decision to either invest in Boone County or to keep sending Boone County tax dollars to other counties.
Protecting Due Process: Boone County detainees, the County, and the rest of the criminal justice system are better off when Boone County detainees are housed in Boone County. Local detainees belong in local facilities where their families, support systems, and their attorneys are located.
It can take hours for a Boone County-based public defender to drive to and from another county with the hopes of being able to meet with their client. Housing detainees out of county not only impacts their legal individual defense preparation, but it also impacts the defense preparation of the entire caseload of that public defender attorney. Housing detainees across 14 counties slows down the resolution of all pending criminal cases.
The Boone County Jail is one of the few National Institute of Jail Operations (NIJO) accredited detention centers in the state of Missouri. The Boone County Sheriff holds the jail and detention officers to a higher professional standard than almost every other county jail in the state. Because of this, detainees are better served when the facility and the detention officers they interact with are accountable to the Boone County Sheriff.
More than Incarceration: Modern facilities are built with considerations for mental health care, medical treatment, and rehabilitation. The current jail has limited mental health services, limited re-entry services, and no dedicated medical beds.
What is the Plan for a New Jail?
Meeting today's needs, preparing for tomorrow
Increased Capacity: To meet today's needs, Phase 1 of the new jail is planned for 570 beds and will take a minimum of 4 years to open. To prepare for tomorrow, the design includes possible Phases 2, 3, and 4 each adding 140 additional beds. Phases 2, 3, and 4 can be built without major disruption to the existing structure and jail operations.
Medical Services: The plan includes onsite, secure, dedicated medial beds. Currently, detainees have to be sent to the hospital for many medical issues. This takes significant resources for transport and security at the hospital. Detention officers and/or deputies must remain with the detainees even when they are admitted to the hospital. The capability to provide medical services to detainees inside of the jail facility will result in a much more safe and efficient operation.
Mental Health Services: The plan also includes expanded mental health services. Many detainees present with mental health issues. The ability to effectively treat these issues inside the jail is a hallmark of a modern detention facility.
Reentry services: A resource center will be constructed onsite to access a re-entry navigator, decompress before reentering society, and connect with resources to reduce recidivism.
A modern detention center is about safer operations, better treatment, and smarter public safety.
Is this a New Issue?
History of the Boone County Jail
For a Deeper Dive Into this Issue:
What is a Sunset Tax?
If passed, a "sunset" sales tax is only in effect for a specific time notated in the ballot language. In this case, 3/8 of a cent sales tax would be in effect for 15 years. After that time, the 3/8 cent sales tax will end unless Boone County voters vote to extend it.
The 15-year sunset on the 3/8 cent Prop L enhancement will cover the bond payments for the initial build out of a new facility; will help fund increased operating costs; and will provide an opportunity to set back the initial funds necessary for the future phase 2 construction.