WARREN, Ark. – Bradley County voters will decide on Tuesday, November 18, whether to approve two proposed countywide sales tax measures that would determine if the county moves forward with constructing a new jail and sheriff’s office complex.
The plan, known as the Bradley County Jail and Sheriff’s Unit Project, calls for a 19,000-square-foot facility with capacity for around 80 inmates. In addition to serving as the county jail, the complex would also house the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office and operate as a county-run 911 call center—a service currently overseen by the City of Warren’s Emergency Services Center.
The proposed site is located along the U.S. Highway 278 bypass southeast of Warren, just north of Bradley Road 24. Dirt work has already begun, and a sign marking the future facility is visible from the highway.
Two tax measures on the ballot
Two separate sales tax questions will appear on the November 18 ballot. Both must pass for construction to move forward.
The first proposal is a 0.625% County Sales and Use Tax, a permanent tax designated for jail operations, law enforcement, and other county purposes such as staffing and maintenance.
The second is a 1% County Sales and Use Tax, a temporary tax dedicated to repaying construction bonds for the new jail and related law enforcement facilities. The 1% construction tax would expire once the bonds are paid off, which county officials estimate would take about 23 years.
Together, the two measures would represent a 1.625% total increase in countywide sales tax. According to figures shared publicly by residents, the increase would raise Warren’s overall sales tax rate to approximately 11.125% and Hermitage’s to 12.125%, which would place both communities toward the higher end of local sales tax rates in Arkansas.
Cost and facility details
If approved, the plan would authorize up to $19 million in funding—roughly $15 million for construction and the remainder for furnishings, communications systems, and contingencies.
Sheriff Herschel Tillman said the facility would create at least 13 full-time jobs and include contracted medical services for inmates. The new design would also include modern security systems and a communications hub intended to improve public safety countywide.
“It’s important for people to understand we are not talking about building a prison,” Tillman said. “This jail will house people awaiting trial.”
Bradley County currently pays to house inmates in other counties because it lacks a jail of its own. From 2021 through 2024, the county spent $871,755.75 on inmate housing elsewhere, not including the cost of transportation and labor. Deputies often travel long distances to find available beds—sometimes as far as Pike County near Murfreesboro, a two-and-a-half-hour drive.
County Judge Klay McKinney called the proposal “the best chance we’ve had” to secure a county jail, adding that the 1% construction tax would end once the bonds are paid off.
While the county has proposed moving 911 operations from the City-owned and operated Emergency Services Center to the new county facility, no formal plan has yet been presented to the City of Warren outlining how that transition would occur or whether the City would be asked to contribute funding for those future 911 operations. The City of Warren has formally requested information regarding what, if anything, it would be asked to pay in addition to the sales tax for those services. As of the publication of this article, the City has not received a written formal response to the request.
What proponents say
Proponents of the jail and sheriff’s unit project argue that the new facility is both a practical and long-overdue investment in public safety for Bradley County.
Sheriff Tillman and County Judge Klay McKinney have been among the leading supporters of the proposal. They say the county’s current situation—relying on other counties to house inmates—is costly, inefficient, and unsustainable. Deputies often spend hours transporting inmates to distant jails, reducing local patrol coverage and increasing expenses.
Supporters contend that the new facility would improve law enforcement efficiency, reduce liability, and ensure that individuals arrested within Bradley County can be securely detained while awaiting trial. They also point to potential long-term savings by ending the need to contract with other counties for inmate housing, a cost that has averaged $242,000 annually over the past three years.
In addition to financial arguments, proponents say the project would modernize public safety infrastructure by consolidating the jail, Sheriff’s Office, and 911 communications center under one roof. They note that the 1% construction tax would end once the bonds are repaid—estimated to take about 23 years—and that the project would create new local jobs, keeping more taxpayer dollars within the community rather than sending them to neighboring counties.
Community concerns
While some local officials have expressed support for the project, a number of residents have raised concerns about the overall cost, location, and timing of the proposal.
Opponents, including several who have shared their views on social media, generally argue that the combined 1.625% tax increase would make Bradley County’s sales tax rate among the highest in the region and could place an added financial strain on families and small businesses.
If approved, the tax changes would bring Warren’s combined sales tax rate to approximately 11.125% and Hermitage’s to roughly 12.125%, affecting every taxable purchase within the county.
In addition to financial concerns, some homeowners near the proposed site have expressed unease about the facility’s location. The area includes several chicken farming operations with homes very nearby, including residential properties on Beavers Street to the northwest—less than half a mile from the planned site.
Supporters counter that the new facility is necessary to ensure public safety, reduce costs associated with housing inmates elsewhere, and improve efficiency for law enforcement officers. They argue that the long hours deputies currently spend transporting inmates across the state is one of the biggest challenges the project is designed to address.
Election day information
The election will be held Tuesday, November 18, 2025, across Bradley County. Both ballot questions must pass for the jail and sheriff’s unit project to proceed. If either fails, the project will not move forward.
Saline River News will continue to follow developments and share election results following the November 18 vote.
