October 15, 2013 / Modified oct 15, 2013 4:01 p.m.

Pima County, South Tucson Agree On Jail Debt Settlement

For years, small city had owed the county $2M for cost of housing inmates, who were arrested in its city limits, in county jails.

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Pima County agreed today to settle a years-long outstanding debt from the city of South Tucson by writing off part of the city's debt to the county for jail costs.

For years, South Tucson has owed Pima County nearly $2 million for the cost of housing inmates arrested in South Tucson in the county jail.

South Tucson, like other local jurisdictions, does not own a jail, and contracts with the county jail to house inmates arrested in the city limits. But for years South Tucson did not keep up with what it owed the county for the cost of those inmates.

Today the Pima County Board of Supervisors agreed unanimously to write off $806,000 of the $1.9 million debt. The amount the county is forgiving includes about $600,000 in interest owed on the old debt.

The settlement calls for South Tucson to pay the county $150,000 by the end of October. Then the one-square-mile city would owe $150,000, each year for 10 years. That amount covers the remaining debt plus a 1.5 percent interest rate, according to county documents.

The agreement has been signed by South Tucson's manager, attorney and mayor, and the Supervisors approved it today.

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