Yellowstone County asking voters for $175 million to fund jail expansion

Pending approval from voters in November, the Yellowstone County Detention Center may undergo a significant — and expensive — expansion.

The county is planning to put forward a $175 million bond and an annual $20 million operational levy, as required by law, to finance a 320-bed jail expansion, Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito announced on Thursday morning during a presentation to the Yellowstone County commissioners at their weekly discussion meeting.

“I’m glad we’re at a point where we can now go forward with a vote and take action to address the major aspect of improving public safety through an expansion to our jail and do so in a way that is mindful to taxpayers,” County Commissioner Mike Waters told the Billings Gazette after the meetings conclusion.

As Thursday was the county’s weekly discussion meeting, Twito’s presentation was only informational and no formal action on the bond resolution was taken.

Commissioners are expected to approve a resolution formalizing the bond and levy request as well as the formal ballot language during their regular weekly meeting next Tuesday, March 10.

A fit for Yellowstone County

Starting in 2024, Yellowstone County worked with consultants and industry experts to put together a wide-ranging report exploring several potential expansion options and other changes to the county justice system to reduce the issue of inmate overcrowding.

The final report was presented to county commissioners in July 2025, and consultants recommended the county move forward with a 512 bed, $225 million expansion.

The county is moving forward with a smaller ask and expansion than recommended, Twito explained during his presentation, owing to several factors not in play during the planning process.

Twito mentioned the planned expansion of the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge that would reduce the number of state prisoners held at the county detention center, estimated to be nearly 100 inmates per day. He also touted the success of the newly opened short-term detention center at reducing inmate overcrowding.

Deputy County Attorney Melissa Williams also explained the county had taken up several front-end recommendations contained within the consultant’s report to reduce facility overcrowding services within the county, increasing pre-trial services, creating an arraignment court and hiring two new district court judges.

With all those factors combined, Twito explained, the county feels comfortable moving forward with a smaller expansion than recommended.

“We wanted to get a solution that not only relied on expertise, and we did rely on experts,” Twito said during his presentation. “But we wanted to put a hometown spin on these efforts. These are people that live in our community. They understand how the jail needs to be utilized to be utilized effectively. So we combined that and we have a recommendation for what we need to ask the voters for.”

Property tax increases

During his presentation, Twito informed the audience of estimated property tax increases Yellowstone County property owners would face if the bond and annual operational levy were approved.

Properties worth $100,000 would see an increase of roughly $59 a year, rising to $178 for properties worth $300,000 and $390 for those valued at $600,000.

“It's a little more than a dollar a day for someone that has a $600,000 home to run an expansion of a jail that would help us now in the future,” Twito said.

Inmate overcrowding and institutional support

Serving as the primary detention center for both Yellowstone County and the city of Billings, overcrowding has long been an issue for the facility.

Daily inmate counts have soared to around 600 daily in the past few years, far exceeding the center’s stated 434-inmate maximum capacity.

A 72-hour short-term detention facility was opened in October to help address the issue, but local elected officials and law enforcement higher-ups have heavily touted an expansion as the best long-term solution to inmate overcrowding.

An official from the Billings Chamber of Commerce spoke in support of the expansion and said the chamber would be working in the coming months to support the bond’s passage.

Billings City Council members Scott Aspenlieder and Mike Boyett also attended the discussion meeting to speak in favor of the proposed expansion.

“As a past deputy sheriff, I can say we need a new jail,” Boyett said. “So as a city councilman and as the deputy mayor for the city of Billings, I encourage you to do this. I will be behind you with a red flag telling everyone, regardless of the cost, we need this project.”