CASTLE ROCK, Colo. – Douglas County commissioners have denied a proposal to reallocate some of the county’s justice center sales tax dollars to fund road and bridge work.
Right now, money from the sales tax fund the jail’s operations and staff.
Commissioner Lora Thomas wanted to take $14 million of that money and put it toward a project to widen I-25.
“In 22 years, it’s raised $360 million, the Sheriff’s Department has built 10 buildings, they’ve built a substation, a justice center, a driving track, a crime lab and the other part of this fund supports those buildings, so none of these funds support the deputies on the street that keep us safe,” Thomas said.
Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock agreed that I-25 needs work to alleviate congestion, but he wants to see the money come from somewhere else.
“I am completely opposed to taking any of the justice center sales tax for roads, point clear,” Spurlock said.
Thomas presented her proposal to the rest of the county commissioners and after hearing public testimony, the commission voted against the plan.