Counties at Odds over Jail Fees

West Virginia's Association of Counties has supported Senate-passed legislation up for a vote today that would require the regional jail authority to return excess funds to the counties.

The jails charge a daily fee of each inmate facing county charges that it confines. The counties have long complained of these fees, and the ensuing drain on their budgets.

But at least some county commissioners fear the bill's impact on daily fees. That group's vice president tells The Associated Press that the lure of the returned excess funds is "fool's gold."

Jail officials have warned that they must hike daily fees significantly to offset the massive transfer of funds required by the bill.

"Some lawmakers say they realize the bill may hike fees, but they favor its provision barring the agency from transferring funds to the state general revenue account," the article notes. "Such transfers are now allowed under the law, and they argue that's an improper use of county-provided revenue."

Update: The Journal of Martinsburg reports that "Berkeley County commissioners are reconsidering their support" for the bill, questioning whether it "could actually end up costing West Virginia counties more money than it saves them."