What happens to the money collected before construction starts on the new Whatcom County Jail?

According to the approved jail Ordinance, the County and the Cities have agreed in principle that 100% of the county's revenue and 50% of the city's revenue from the first 4-6 years will be used as a “down payment” to lower the amount to bond. An interlocal agreement between the cities and Whatcom County will be negotiated that “allows for cost-effective terms of bonding for the construction of a new Whatcom County jail and behavioral health facilities by including a sharing of the first four to six years of sales tax revenue to reduce the bond size.”

Image: Yes! Safe Jail Healthy Outcomes

A bar graph depicting what happens to bond reduction when Whatcom County cities commit 50% of public safety tax to Whatcom county.