Frequently Asked Questions

The new Jackson County Law Enforcement Center and Government Center is a multi-functional building that will replace current government facilities that are well past their useful life. Under construction at the former site of Jackson County's Government Center East, the new facility will serve as the headquarters for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, featuring a modern jail that meets all state standards for safety and security.

The other part of the new building will serve as a government services center and support a wide range of local, state and federal government services, including driver’s licenses, veterans’ services and elections.

The aging Jackson County Jail has failed to meet state standards for safety and inmate classification for almost 20 years. Built in 1976, the county jail is plagued with numerous deficiencies, including:

- Jail cells that are too small to safely hold inmates

- Difficulty properly separating inmates by security classification

- No separate medical room

- Insufficient storage for evidence

- Significant structural damage from moisture

- Exposed wiring and cabling

- Outdated cell locks and doors

The new law enforcement center will provide sheriff’s personnel with the equipment, space and resources they need to manage inmates effectively, respond to emergency calls and properly manage and store evidence and equipment.

Government services have expanded over the years, but the courthouse and government center east building lack the space to provide those services efficiently and effectively.

The courthouse is a historic structure that can’t be renovated. The former government center east building was more than 60 years old. The building faced major infrastructure problems, was well past its useful life and would have been too expensive to renovate. The government center east building was razed and will be the location of the new law enforcement center which means the county didn’t need to buy land for the project.

The new government center is replacing the space the county was using in the government center east building and will house some services currently provided in the courthouse.

Jackson County Government Center West (Des Moines Valley Health & Human Services) is fully occupied and land locked with no room to expand. Adjacent open space next to this building is needed for parking. The facility was not designed to add a second floor.

All these facilities share one boiler that is very old and frequently breaks down. This project will include the construction of a new heating system for the courthouse, government center west building and the new law enforcement center and government center.

The new jail will provide modernized security features to protect our law enforcement officers. Further, the facility will offer safer and more efficient spaces for booking and transferring inmates, more equipment and evidence storage as well as providing required inmate medical space.

Additionally, updating the new jail's layout will extend the longevity of the facility, as its flexible design will give staff the ability to adapt should state guidelines or best practices change in the future. The center’s estimated life will be over 50 years.

Since the Department of Corrections violations began in 2005, county officials have been closely assessing the need for a new jail. Space needs studies have been conducted by the county for other government facilities starting back in 2001. Feedback from county staff has consistently highlighted a lack of space and inefficient design in several of the county's facilities. Feedback from residents has consistently highlighted two major priorities: 1) Improved accessibility and streamlined county services 2) A secure jail and modern Sheriff’s Office to support law enforcement and improve public safety.

The county can provide more streamlined services to its residents, including dedicated space for driver’s licenses and passports, expanded veteran services and dedicated space for elections, among others. Additionally, this consolidation will allow personnel from each department to cross-train and collaborate, ensuring the community’s needs are met.

Yes. The average life expectancy of a full‐time jail is 30 years. Jackson County’s jail will be 50 years old by the time it is replaced. While the county did its best to maintain the aging jail, its antiquated design and years of heavy use meant that it could no longer serve the needs of law enforcement personnel and inmates or meet state standards for operations and security.

County and City of Jackson law enforcement services will be based in the facility, which will also be used by other city law enforcement in Jackson County the Minnesota State Patrol, Department of Natural Resources and Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Other services provided in the building will include countywide 911 emergency dispatching, burning permits, civil processing, handgun permits, finger printing and “Take it to the Box” drug drop off.

The new law enforcement center will also provide more storage areas for evidence and equipment, a medical room and updated space for law enforcement personnel.

No. Several county services will remain in the courthouse.

• Courthouse Lower Level – This will continue to be used for office space, meeting rooms, storage and building mechanical uses.

• Courthouse First Floor – The Auditor/Treasurer, Recorder, Assessor, County Administrator and Information Systems Departments will relocate to the law enforcement center and government center. The County Attorney’s Office and Court Services/Probation Department will relocate from the lower level to this floor.

• Courthouse Second Floor – Courts and Court Administration will remain here. 

The total cost of the project is estimated to be $41.2 million, plus interest and bond issuance costs.

The county has built a cash reserve of $10.9 million that will cover about 25 percent of the cost of the $41.2 million project. This reserve will serve as the down payment for moving forward with this investment.

The remaining construction costs will require selling bonds. The county will use these bonds to finance $30.3 million, plus interest and bond issuance costs, over a 25-year period. The county would repay the bonds through the following resources:

• Existing tax revenue: About two-thirds of the bond payments would be made by using current wind production and property taxes.

• Local sales tax: To cover the final portion of the bond payments, the county received permission from the state legislature to propose a 1% local sales tax to local voters that would raise $17.5 million over 25 years.

The local sales tax would cost Jackson County residents an average of $4 per month, or $48 per year, according to an analysis by the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality. For more information, visit our financing page.

County leaders wanted to give residents the opportunity to decide how to pay for the new law enforcement center and jail. The sales tax spreads the cost of the project among residents and nonresidents who buy goods or services in the county. Through the local sales tax, nonresidents will contribute $5.5 million toward the total cost of the project, according to research by the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality.

If the local sales tax is not approved, a county property tax increase of 5% would be needed to raise the remaining revenue needed to pay for the project.

No. Voters will decide whether to use a local sales tax to share part of the cost with nonresidents who make purchases in the county. If the local sales tax proposal fails, a county property tax increase of about 5% will be used to pay for the project. Construction has already begun, and the financing plan is in place.

The local sales tax is applied the same way as the state sales tax. Many essential goods are exempt from the sales tax, including groceries, clothing, agricultural items, farm equipment, motor vehicles, prescription drugs and baby products. For more information, view the most nontaxable items from the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

No. Traditionally, state lawmakers have not approved state funds to support county law enforcement facilities. That is why other counties, including Itasca, Beltrami, Stearns, Rice, Winona and Carlton, have pursued a local sales tax to invest in such projects.

Nevertheless, Jackson County requested state funding for the project during the 2023 legislative session, but it was not approved. Instead, the state legislature authorized Jackson County to seek voter-approval for a 1% local sales and use tax to help pay for the project.

No. If approved, the local sales tax will be in place for up to 25 years or until its bond obligations are fulfilled, whichever comes first. For it to be renewed or used for another purpose, the State Legislature and Jackson County voters would need to approve its extension.

The 1% sales tax adds one penny for every $1 spent or 10 cents for a $10 purchase. Based on research from the University of Minnesota, the local sales tax would cost each Jackson County resident an average of $4 per month (or $48 per year). For more information, visit our financing page.

Yes. Over the past several years, dozens of counties and cities across Minnesota have used local sales taxes to fund a wide range of major public projects that have local and regional benefits, including public safety buildings, correctional facilities, public libraries and new parks.

HERE is an interactive map of Minnesota cities and counties that have adopted local sales taxes.

The University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality analyzed the economic effects of a local sales tax increase in several Minnesota cities and found little evidence that overall sales growth for businesses was impacted.

In fact, many nearby towns where Jackson County residents shop already charge a local sales tax to finance public investments. These include Worthington, Fairmont and Mankato in Minnesota; Spirit Lake, Estherville and Spencer in Iowa; and Sioux Falls, SD.

Many businesses are required by law to collect state and local sales taxes from online purchases. The products and services that are taxed are the same as those taxed for in-store purchases. In other words, the local sales tax would be applied when the state sales tax is.

However, there is one important way that the laws governing e-commerce are different than those governing in-person shopping. According to the Minnesota Department of Revenue, when you pick up a product at a seller's location, the sales tax is based on that location. So, if you went to a store in Jackson to pick up the item, you would pay the county’s sales tax.  If the product is shipped to you, the tax is based on the delivery address.

For a full list of taxable and non-taxable items, visit the Department of Revenue’s website.

This November, Jackson County residents will consider whether to approve a ballot question seeking to use a 1% local sales tax to help fund a new law enforcement center and new government center.

The November referendum is NOT a vote to approve the project – only how to pay for it.

For more information on the plan, visit our Plan page. For more information on how to vote, visit our Vote page.

Early voting will begin on September 20, 2024. Election Day is November 5, 2024. For more information, visit our vote page.

If the local sales tax referendum is not approved, the county will need to raise property taxes by an additional 5% to complete the funding for the project.