Owen County leaders say a fiscal study released this week gives them hope that they have the resources necessary to renovate or expand their jail.
A local income tax increase could fund the project.
The county has a long list of problems it needs to address with its jail.
Council President Jennifer Abrell says the largest is overcrowding. There’s no room to segregate people who need to be separate from the general population.
"So if they need isolation or suicide watch or that sort of thing we have to do that but it’s taking away space from the other inmates," Abrell says.
The county commissioned a fiscal study to determine if it can generate the money necessary to pay for a renovation and expansion of the facility.
The results show they could generate up to $30 million by increasing local income taxes.
Abrell says that’s about twice as much as initial estimates say it could cost to complete the necessary work.
The council could hold public hearings on the proposed tax increase next year.
