SC county sues 2 of its cities over $73 jail inmate fee

YORK, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina county is suing two cities inside its border, saying they are refusing to keep up with a deal to pay $73 per day to house jail inmates from the cities. York County says it will continue to take inmates from Rock Hill and Tega Cay until the court rules. Rock Hill officials said they don’t mind paying a fair fee, but York County has failed to give a detailed assessment of how it came up with a $73 a day cost per inmate. The county originally wanted to charge $100, but lowered the assessment after the city asked for details.

YORK, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina county is suing two cities inside its border, saying they are refusing to keep up with a deal to pay $73 per day to house jail inmates from the cities.
York County said it will continue to take inmates from Rock Hill and Tega Cay until the court rules, The Herald of Rock Hill reported.
Rock Hill officials said they don’t mind paying a fair fee, but York County has failed to give a detailed assessment of how it came up with a $73 a day cost per inmate.
The county originally wanted to charge $100, but lowered the assessment after Rock Hill asked for details, the city said in a statement.
Documents obtained by the newspaper showed the cities were paying about $43 a day per inmate before the fees were increased.
York County said other cities in the county like Fort Mill, Clover and the city of York have signed an agreement to pay the $73 fee.
York County is asking a judge to decide if the county, which is legally required to have a jail, has to take inmates from cities without a written agreement on fees.
Rock Hill officials said their residents and businesses pay York County $7.9 million in property taxes that help run the jail and the sheriff’s office.