JOCO Sheriff Dave Daniel proposes levy to make up for $2.1 million budget cut

Josephine County, Ore. — Without enough money to fund services like the Josephine County Jail, Sheriff Dave Daniel and commissioners are trying to find a solution.

“We’re struggling a little bit here, but we’re going to build that bridge,” Josephine County Commissioner Dan DeYoung said.

Faced with a $2.1 million budget cut, Sheriff Dave Daniel says the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office is looking at the possibility of the patrol division disappearing, people getting laid off from the jail and only 80 beds would be available to criminals.

“Not being able to respond to serve the people is a major concern,” Sheriff Dave Daniel said.

County Commissioner Dan DeYoung says they’ve lost sources of funding throughout the years, including money from O&C timber funds.

So Sheriff Dave Daniel is proposing a 5 year .84 cent per thousand levy of property value to pay for services.

“Josephine County Sheriff does not make money off of road taxes or anything of that sort. It all comes from general fund which is funded by property taxes,” DeYoung said.

The hope is to increase inmate capacity to 185, hire more correction staff and house all arrested person’s in Josephine County.

“What he would like to do is fund the jail. He wants this as a jail levy,” DeYoung said.

And the law would make the levy only go toward the jail.

With a public safety system that Sheriff Dave Daniel says is inadequate for the county, he is asking the community to support it.

“We’re trying to do more in the sheriff’s office with less, and we can do a lot more with a little more,” Sheriff Dave Daniel said.

Commissioners plan to review the draft of the proposed levy next week to decide whether or not to approve it for the May ballot.