Oklahoma County residents will vote on whether to approve a sales tax to help pay for construction and operations at a new detention center and its attached behavioral health center, as county officials hold public meetings to explain the proposal and critics press for more detail. District Attorney Vicki Zemp Behenna said the county would be transparent and accountable for spending on construction and facility operations. She argued that the county will face costs whether the measure passes or not. “Either way, the county has to pay to finish the rest of construction,” Behenna said. She also pointed to lawsuits related to deaths and civil-rights claims at the county jail, saying the county has paid nearly $4 million in such cases. That figure was her estimate. Nathan Wiewel, who opposes the tax, said the county has not provided an adequate plan for the jail or explained how a vote for nearly $1 billion in funding would translate into safer communities. He said the Home Base coalition, which opposed the project during the 2022 bond vote, views the new request as a “clear no.” The funding question covers the remaining construction costs and operations for both the detention center and behavioral health center, according to the ballot proposal’s description. The proposal comes amid continuing debate over the size and purpose of the project and the public cost of completing it. Behenna was scheduled to hold a town hall Tuesday evening, Oct. 13. The event was private but set to be livestreamed. A second town hall, hosted with the Oklahoma City Chamber, was scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. The sales-tax measure will go before Oklahoma County voters on Election Day. The county has not yet persuaded all residents that the proposed funding and plans will address their concerns.