Tulsa mayor announces plan to build city jail

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Tulsa officials are planning to build a city-run jail with operating costs estimated at $1.2 million a year.

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum announced plans for the facility Wednesday. He says the move will also serve as a cost-saving measure against Tulsa County's soon-to-be increased charges of $1.4 million per year to hold municipal inmates.

The Tulsa World reports the mayor called the move "a business decision." But some county officials see the proposal as another blow from the city in a decades-long fight over jail costs.

Tulsa County Commissioner John Smaligo says he believes the city has long been planning to run its own jail. He accused city officials of unnecessarily delaying the public announcement.

The Gayly - 8/17/2017 5:28 p.m. CST