It might be one of the most expensive pieces of government property never to be used.
Oregon's Multnomah County, which includes the city of Portland, built a $58 million jail. The "Wapato Facility," as it is known, was completed two years ago, yet it's completely vacant. The local sheriff, Bernie Giusto, it calls an "echo chamber."
It's not like there's a shortage of potential inmates. Portland actually has a jail overcrowding problem. Last year, the county released more than 4,500 inmates because they ran out of jail beds, according to the sheriff's department. What's going on here?
Voters signed-off on the money for the jail to be built, but the county didn't and still doesn't have the money to operate it. Local leaders say shrinking taxes are to blame, which is forcing tough choices between funding classrooms or prisons, for example.
For Sheriff Giusto, the most frustrating element is having a perfectly good facility sit empty. After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, he offered the jail as a solution for short-term housing for evacuees. (The Red Cross said "no" because it didn't think it would be appropriate to have storm refugees in a jail.)
Anyone who tours the jail can't help but feel a little perplexed by the situation. Despite being a jail, it's an impressive facility. It's clean and modern. There are two flat screen televisions for the inmates to watch. The kitchen is stainless steel.
Why did the government build a jail it can't operate? I kept wondering that as I looked around. And as of this writing, I still don't have an answer.