Tucson is considering changing where it houses inmates convicted of misdemeanor crimes.
The proposed change would affect inmates who are sentenced to 10 days or more in jail. Right now, they’re housed in the Pima County Jail, but Tucson has worked out a deal to move them to a Nogales jail to save money.
The city is currently paying Pima County a $279 booking fee and $85 a day per inmate. A proposed agreement with Santa Cruz County would eliminate the booking fee and reduce the daily fee to $65.
The Arizona Daily Star reports Tucson expects to pay Pima County $7 million dollars this year to house inmates. It expects significant savings if the inmates are moved. City and Santa Cruz county officials call the agreement, which the Tucson Council could consider later this month, a “win-win.”