PAYETTE COUNTY, Idaho — Two ballot initiatives, one to fund the Parma Fire District and another to fund the construction of a new jail in Payette County, both failed to pass in the recent election.
The Payette County General Obligation Jail Bond was placed on the ballot to finance the "relocation, acquisition, construction, and equipping of new County jail facilities." For years, the Payette County Jail has experienced deferred maintenance issues as well as overcrowding. In August, Payette County Sheriff Andy Creech told Idaho News 6, "Our jail can hold 69 people; we run up to 80 pretty regularly. Most of the year, we're overpopulated to some degree."
In response to the bond's failure, Sheriff Creech released the following statement: “The election process gave residents an opportunity to weigh in on how we address the County’s ongoing facility and public safety challenges. The County’s jail facility challenges remain and the impact on the community’s public safety continue to be a concern of mine and the Sheriff’s Office.”
Additionally, the Parma Fire District Levy, which included votes from both Canyon and Payette Counties, also failed to pass. The $1M levy would have helped increase firefighter pay with the hopes of retaining more of the personnel.
