New justice center sparks funding debate
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A new Marion County justice center southeast of downtown is one step closer to becoming a reality.
The City-County Council has approved $20 million to create an architectural and logistical plan for the facility, that would also house a mental health and drug addiction center. With a 17-7 vote, architects and civil engineers can now put pen to paper on the criminal justice center and hopefully give Marion County residents a better idea of what this project entails.
So far Mayor Joe Hogsett and his task force have selected a location, 2915 Prospect Street, where the old Citizens Energy coke plant once stood. Andy Mallon, project lead for the task force, says the approved $20 million architectural plan is due in January, with construction bids to follow and an estimated project completion in 2021. The center will house 3,000 inmates, the courts, administrative offices, and a mental health facility.
As for the future of the facilities the new justice center will replace, Mallon says the Jail 1 property could be sold or redeveloped and Jail 2 space could be redistributed to other agencies, like the adult work release program, crime lab, Coroner’s office, etc.
Currently, conservative estimates mark the facility at $571 million with a 30-35 year payment plan. Mallon says the money will originate from a series of personnel cuts in the current jail facilities and slicing expenditures in a variety of budgets. Another portion of the funding will come from federal monies.
“Essentially we’re taking money that we’re using now in the criminal justice system and using it better by replacing old, outdated facilities,” said Mallon. “And there’s money that we hope to be able to capture with new facilities. For example, we will have a much better healthcare facility that we will look to get Medicaid reimbursements for.”
Those funding sources is one of the problems councilor Marilyn Pfisterer has with the proposal: money from an unstable Medicaid structure and others.
“Anybody that’s listened to the news recently knows that the Medicaid funding is very uncertain right now, We’re launching a 30 year commitment, so why start with a model that’s weak to begin with,” said Pfisterer. “The Medicaid is one, the federal prisoners was another one. That was about $2 million a year that is in the funding mode. We don’t know if the feds are going to be using the local jails for 30 years.”
Pfisterer was one of the seven councilors who opposed the measure. At the council’s next meeting, she says she would like to see more thoughtful research done for the councilors’ consideration.
“I’m hoping that we can go back to the table and find more efficiencies and a stronger and more stable funding model for this so needed project,” she said.
Mallon says he’s confident the funding structure will remain stable.
“We’re dealing with the state of affairs as they are right now,” said Mallon, “and right now one of the benefits of HIP 2.0 is that we can get Medicaid reimbursements for mental health and addiction services.”
Something Pfisterer and her colleagues can get on board with is that addition of a mental health facility.
“I think it is a good idea to have an assessment center, so we have a better idea of what the folks that are being arrested need,” Pfisterer said. “Some don’t necessarily need to go to jail.”
Mallon says the Mayor’s office is open for public comments. You’re welcome to submit feedback via email through Andre Zhang Sonera at andre.zhangsonera@indy.gov .