ST. LANDRY PARISH — As the St. Landry Parish Government announces cost-cutting measures and the elimination of some positions, Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says there may have been better ways to manage the budget—especially when it comes to expenses tied to the local jail. Sheriff Guidroz believes the current financial strain stems from poor management.
"I know they are short, but this all comes down to management," Guidroz said. "If I know I am short, I wouldn’t be giving these one hundred, eighty-thousand-dollar jobs when I can pay fifty thousand dollars. I mean, I wouldn’t do it. That is abuse. And what people need to realize is that you are dealing with other people’s money—and that’s taxpayers’ money. And I will be responsible for it.”
He also questioned why cuts were necessary, especially since the parish collects a jail maintenance tax.
"Every year he [Parish President Jesse Bellard] collects $750,000 to $800,000 on his jail maintenance tax," Guidroz said. "He says he doesn’t have the $375,000 to maintain the jail—then he needs to re-direct the jail maintenance funds."
However, Parish President Jessie Bellard tells KATC the jail maintenance tax is strictly for maintaining the jail building and does not cover the cost of housing people incarcerated under the state. Those expenses, including medical care, food, and utilities, come from the general fund, which Bellard says is strained by approximately $1.5 million in annual inmate-related costs.
Tensions between the sheriff and the parish government escalated last year, when the parish filed a lawsuit against the sheriff over who should cover the costs associated with housing people incarcerated under the state.
In light of the ongoing financial pressure, Sheriff Guidroz proposed a cost-saving solution: reopening the unused jail in Opelousas.
"I would love to house inmates in that jail," Guidroz said. "But the city will not allow it because they do not have jailers—they do not have the manpower to hire security. I raised my hand and said, ‘I will hire jailers,’ if it saves the parish government money."
While he's open to finding solutions, Guidroz says transparency from the parish is lacking.
"If he is not getting enough money to feed the state inmates, I offered to remedy that—even before this went to the court system. But I got to have receipts," he said.
As budget debates continue, Sheriff Guidroz confirms he does not plan to make any cuts within his department, including staffing at the jail.
