(La Junta, CO) -- County Administrator Amy White Tanabe says they have been looking at the numbers and are amazed that the collections for sales tax are up again. She discussed the numbers at this week's county commissioners public meeting. Tanabe mentioned that usually right after Christmas and the Holidays, people are spending less but January was better than expected. She said they collected about $183,000. That's 13,000 more than 2021.
Tanabe also said she continues to search for funding options to help build a new jail. Otero county has been leaning on neighboring Bent County to accept inmates they cannot house due to the jail needing repairs. Before the Covid pandemic, county leaders were looking at ways to pay for a new, larger jail. It was decided to wait until after the pandemic to resume talks on what will happen.