Background
On July 26, 2019 the state department of corrections notified Rice County that, due to the lack of space for recreation and programming, the main jail was being downgraded to a 90-day facility. Since 2019 the Board of Commissioners have done a study of the jail improvement needed to meet the department of corrections requirements.
In 2021 the Board discussed partnering with Steele County on its jail. That was not feasible and would not meet Rice County needs. A reclassification would have been costly for the county and involve additional transportation and out-of-county housing costs. In 2022, that was estimated at $1.5 million annually.
The Board voted to build a new public safety center. Land was purchased off highway 3 at 30th Street in Faribault. (109.2 acres for $1.65m). A portion of this property is the site of the new Public Safety Center. The board authorized the sale of $48.86 million in bonds to finance construction of the 83,000-square foot Public Safety Center. The building includes a 76-bed jail, the county’s Emergency Operations Center, and offices for Rice County Sheriff’s Office staff and the regional drug task force. The Center is scheduled to open in late October of 2024.
Request for a sales tax
On January 31, 2022 the Board voted to seek legislation approval to put 0.375% sales tax referendum before voters. Because the State Legislature did not approve this request until the 2023 session, a first repayment was made in 2023 using funds from the county’s property tax levy.
On August 13, 2024, the Rice County Board of Commissioners voted to ask voters to approve the 0.375% sales tax for the sole purpose of repaying debt incurred in the construction of the Public Safety Center. This vote will take place on November 5, 2024.
Using a sales tax to repay this debt would mean that anyone who shops in Rice County would contribute to paying the debt. In Minnesota, local sales taxes follow the state sales tax and don’t apply to essentials like groceries, medication, baby products, clothing, and motor vehicles.
If a majority of voters vote no, the Board of Commissioners will likely continue using property taxes to repay the debt. If a majority vote yes, the sales tax will be implemented. Commissioners emphasize that a yes vote does not mean a reduction in property tax.
For more information visit the Rice County website. https://www.ricecountymn.gov/746/Rice-County-Local-Option-Sales-Tax-refer
