Yavapai County Jail District Proposition 497 — Jail District Excise (Sales) Tax Increase

What it does

The Board of Directors of the Yavapai County Jail District asks the voters of Yavapai County for approval to increase the existing Jail District excise (sales) tax 1⁄4 of a cent ($0.0025) per dollar. The existing 1⁄4 cent Jail District sales tax is not sufficient to pay the costs of the Jail District. The estimated future revenue needs for the Jail District are $41.44 million per year and will likely increase over time due to inflation and population growth. The County will be required to contribute $8.88 million next year to the Jail District from the County General Fund as legally required “maintenance of effort,” and will need to contribute an additional $16.15 million from the County General Fund to pay the costs of the Jail District. If approved, this tax will take effect on July 1, 2027, and will continue for a period of twenty years. Shall the Yavapai County Jail District excise (sales) tax be increased 1⁄4 of a cent ($0.0025) per dollar to fund the Jail District. A “YES” vote would have the effect of approving an increase in the Jail District excise tax of 1⁄4 of a cent ($0.0025) per dollar. A “NO” vote would have the effect of rejecting an increase in the Jail District excise tax of 1⁄4 of a cent ($0.0025) per dollar.

A YES vote means

The Yavapai County Jail District sales tax would increase by 1/4 of a cent ($0.0025) per dollar, starting July 1, 2027, for twenty years, to fund the Jail District.

A NO vote means

The existing 1/4 cent Jail District sales tax would not be increased.

Needed to pass

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Left–right lean

Unclear: our AI read of the official summary isn't confident enough (we require 70%) to place this on the left–right spectrum, so we don't. Read the summary and decide for yourself.

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Background

The Yavapai County Jail District Board of Directors adopted Resolution No. 2026-1 on March 18, 2026, calling this ballot measure to raise the Jail District sales tax by 1/4 cent for 20 years starting July 1, 2027. That is according to the county's voter information pamphlet.

The resolution notes that county voters created the Jail District and its 1/4-cent sales tax in November 1999.

The pamphlet says that without the increase the county must contribute $8.88 million next year to the Jail District as required maintenance of effort, plus an additional $16.15 million from the General Fund. It estimates the new 1/4 cent would raise $16.3 million a year.

The pamphlet includes arguments both for and against Proposition 497.

Put on the ballot by Yavapai County Jail District Board of Directors, March 18, 2026 (Resolution No. 2026-1; tally not stated in the pamphlet).

From official source.

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Yavapai County Jail District Proposition 497 mean?

The Yavapai County Jail District sales tax would increase by 1/4 of a cent ($0.0025) per dollar, starting July 1, 2027, for twenty years, to fund the Jail District.

What does a NO vote on Yavapai County Jail District Proposition 497 mean?

The existing 1/4 cent Jail District sales tax would not be increased.

How many votes does Yavapai County Jail District Proposition 497 need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on Yavapai County Jail District Proposition 497?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.