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| Can county still lock up jail money? |
| By smdailyjournal.com - Michelle Durand |
| Published: 12/19/2011 |
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San Mateo County, CA -- Even without a formal invitation to apply for up to $100 million in state money, county officials still hope the plan for a new 576-bed jail in Redwood City can still quality for the construction funds if other counties drop out. Circumstances haven’t changed since San Mateo County learned in late October it ranked low compared to other competing counties but could be different after next month’s deadline for complete applications, said Assistant Sheriff Trisha Sanchez. If higher ranking counties don’t submit applications or further down the road aren’t ready with matching local funds or a site, San Mateo County might move closer to qualifying. Sanchez, Deputy County Manager Mary McMillan and others from the county learned as much Thursday after speaking with Corrections Standards Authority officials at a meeting arranged by Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo. The contingent wanted more information about the process to determine if still trying for the funds was fruitless. Hill said he wanted to know, too. “The issue was why? What changed? We were on top of the pile before,” Hill said, referencing an early jail funding offer in which the county qualified. Although all counties are welcome to apply, those that received a formal invitation in October based on a short letter of intent receive priority. County officials are hopeful of future consideration but won’t make any decisions until after seeing which counties actually submit applications, Sanchez said. In the new year, Hill said he may consider legislation clarifying that counties that didn’t submit a letter of intent in the first phase aren’t able to jump in now. San Mateo County supervisors have already signed off on plans to build a new correctional facility in Redwood City but paying for the estimated construction cost and operating expenses is less clear. At stake with the state is money that could cover more than half the $165 million building’s price tag and slash the ongoing debt. However, the county’s chances right now aren’t good unless another county moves out of the way. The county ranked number nine in the large county population category, beat out by counties including Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, Orange, Kern, Sacramento, Santa Clara and Fresno. A key component was how few inmates San Mateo County sends to state detention compared to the others — approximately 560 annually while Los Angeles County sends 19,000 and San Bernadino sends 5,800, Hill said. That aside, Sheriff Greg Munks and other county officials had been optimistic about their chances because the site is already purchased and plans already under way. The county spent $17 million for parcels on Chemical Way in Redwood City specifically to build a jail somewhere other than the originally preferred but debated site near downtown. Read More. |
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