As the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners chair, I am witnessing firsthand the immense strain on our county budget. It is time for the Legislature to recognize this fiscal
pressure and act.

The Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety took a critical step by voting for an $8 million increase in county jail funding in the supplemental budget. This recommendation supports LD 2232 and honors the state’s commitment to fund 20% of jail operating costs. Currently, that share is 14%.

The County can no longer absorb escalating Cumberland County Jail costs without critical state support. The County anticipates the tax revenue required to operate the CCJ will exceed $21.5 million in FY27, an increase of more than $4 million over the previous fiscal year. The factors impacting this increase include: loss of federal inmate revenue, rising staffing costs, specialized dietary and food costs, and escalating medical and behavioral health costs. Jail medical costs are expected to exceed $4.4 million in FY27.

When the state fails to provide adequate funding for jails the burden doesn’t disappear; it shifts directly to taxpayers. This forces towns to make impossible choices between essential local services and rising property tax bills.

The Criminal Justice Committee’s recommendation, an $8 million increase, provides necessary and essential relief to taxpayers.

Patricia Smith
District 4 Commissioner, Cumberland County
(Cape Elizabeth, South Portland, Westbrook and part of Portland)
South Portland