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Kansas City voters on Tuesday will decide whether to renew a public safety sales tax.
The tax has been in place for years, and a voter-approved renewal would provide money for Kansas City to construct its own detention center.
The cost to build the detention center could be $150 million to $250 million. It would be located just off Interstate 70 along US Hwy 40.
But rising construction costs have both supporters and opponents speaking out just hours before the vote.
"What is the cost of a life?" Kansas City councilman Crispin Rea asked.
"It is costly, and it doesn't have a clear plan," Councilman Johnathan Duncan said.
City leaders predict the public sales tax will generate about $480 million over the next 20 years.
Councilman Rea explained that it would cover detention center building costs and still support safety resources.
"There is more than enough revenue that will be raised to cover the construction of the facility and continue to do the important things that the police department has need of to address deficiencies with the 911 system," Councilman Rea said.
Samuels Group is a consulting firm that specializes in jail building costs. Their research shows construction costs haven't just increased with inflation, they're twice as impacted by rising costs.
There were cost increases with the Jackson County Detention Center. It was originally projected to cost around $260 million in 2022, but the cost increased to $301 million by 2023, a 15% increase in one year.
Councilman Rea explained inflationary increases were accounted for in the city's estimated construction price tag.
"Kansas City is used to building big things," Councilman Rea said. "We do big projects and so we know how to do this."
Samuels Group's data shows there are not clear numbers on how much labor, materials and equipment costs could increase. But there aren't any signs they will go back down.
Councilman Duncan explained that analysts hired by the city predicted there may be a deficit.
"Over the next 20 years, our statisticians stated that they expect a jail facility to cost three times as much in maintenance, operations costs and construction costs," Councilman Duncan said.
The high price tag, with a chance it might rise even higher, is why opponents of the sales tax are concerned the building costs will take up all the revenue generated by the public safety sales tax.
That would mean there won't be enough money for other safety measures, including mental health services and first responders.
"To call this anything other than a jail tax is deceptive, and I think when we look at what our other opportunities to use this tax for, there are none," Councilman Duncan said. "It can't be used for anything else because it will be absolutely consumed by the jail tax."
The sales tax revenue would only go toward the detention center construction. It's operating costs would be funded through the city budget, though it's unclear how much would be allocated at this time.
"It is important that we spend taxpayer dollars on saving people's lives," Councilman Rea said.
Kansas City would finance the detention center construction costs through bonds that would be paid over 20 years.
KSHB's I-Team found more than 500 Kansas City inmates had been released early from Vernon and Johnson County jails. That coverage can be found here.
Polls will be open on Tuesday, April 8, from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m.
