# Does Whatcom get all the money to build a new county jail?

No. The [statute](https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=82.14.450) specifies that Whatcom County gets 60% of the tax revenue. The remaining 40% is allocated to the cities in the county based on the population of the city.

The County estimates that:

Bellingham’s share for 2024 would be about $3.7 million;

The cities of Lynden and Ferndale would get about $650,000 each as their populations are almost the same.

However, in the first four to six years the County would receive 50% of the cities’ revenue to pay down the debt so the bond could be smaller and less expensive.

*Image: Yes! Safe Jail Healthy Outcomes*

![A bar graph of how Whatcom County will allocate tax revenue to it's cities.](https://www.yeswhatcomjail.com/assets/a-bar-graph-of-how-whatcom-county-will-alloca-e6df7beeaffa7b53.jpg)

[NEXT](https://www.yeswhatcomjail.com/what-happens-to-the-sales-tax-revenue-stream-over-time)