Oklahoma County OK — $835M New Jail, $635M Funding Gap, Jail Trust Dissolved Amid ICE Enforcement Surge
contested
— New jail cost ballooned to ~$835M (2.6x original), leaving ~$635M gap on the $260M 2022 bond. Sales-tax fix rejected by commissioners Jan 2026; vape/marijuana tax floated. Budget Board recommended dissolving the Criminal Justice Authority (jail trust) 6-1 on Mar 18, 2026, returning the jail to Sheriff Tommie Johnson III. DA Behenna and Sheriff clashed publicly May 8, 2026 over detainee transport duties.