Stearns County Holds Open Meetings to Discuss Proposed Sales Tax for New Justice Center

(KNSI) – Stearns County officials are entering the home stretch to talk to residents about a proposed sales tax for a new justice center.

County representatives will make their pitch for support using a 3/8 cent sales tax to cover the cost of a proposed $325 million jail, courtrooms, sheriff’s department and county attorney offices. The facility would be built outside of downtown St. Cloud on a yet-to-be-determined property. The building must remain in the county seat of St. Cloud.

Monday’s meeting is from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Sauk Centre City Hall. The other two meetings are also from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday at Waite Park City Hall and Thursday at the Eden Valley Community Center. The open house-style meetings are designed to allow people to drop in at their convenience.

In June, the board voted to build a new justice center after two studies concluded Stearns County needed to address deficiencies in its jail. The studies say upgrading the facility would be prohibitively expensive.

If voters approve the sales tax in November, the county would use it to cover the cost of construction. The Stearns County Board of Commissioners has made it clear that property taxes will fund the project if the sales tax does not pass.

The average residential property in Stearns County is valued at $259,000, and the homeowner would pay an estimated $85 a year in sales tax. If the project is fully funded with property taxes, the homeowner would pay closer to $200 a year.

According to county officials, about 55% of sales tax collected would come from residents outside the county. That inflow is also seen in the jail population, with roughly a 50/50 split between county residents and non-residents.

To learn more about the project and community meeting details, click here.

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