With mounting operational costs and shrinking budgets, La Crosse County, Wisc., Sheriff Mike Weissenberger wants inmates to help pay to run the county jail.

Weissenberger has proposed charging inmates up to $50 per confinement, with the money going toward the operation of the jail.

The sheriff said it isn't fair to make taxpayers pay to house men and women serving jail sentences.

The proposed ordinance, which will be presented to the county board Thursday night, only would affect inmates who have been convicted and sentenced, Weissenberger said.

"This would not pertain to someone who is in jail waiting to stand trial," Weissenberger said.

If passed, the ordinance also would authorize taking the money directly out of the inmate's account for personal purchases in jail, the sheriff said.

"Each inmate has what is called a canteen account that they use to buy snacks, chips, soft drinks and things like that," Weissenberger said. "It's written into this ordinance that the money could come out of this account. But the inmate also would have the choice to pay it up front."

Although the ordinance passed the county's Judiciary and Law Committee, it did not pass without resistance. At least one member of the committee said it would be an unfair burden on those inmates who have little or no money. Weissenberger said most inmates can afford to pay the $50 fee, which he said would raise a fair amount of money each year.

"We looked at our records from last year and found that if we had this in place throughout 2002, we would have collected $178,000 in extra revenue," Weissenberger said.

If approved by the county board, La Crosse would not be the first county to implement such a fee.

In some counties, inmates are charged a one-time $20 to $30 fee and $10 to $20 per week, Weissenberger said.

Under the current policy, the only inmates who are charged are those in the Huber Center, who pay $10 per day.