LAFAYETTE COUNTY, Wis. (WKOW) — As the Lafayette County Sheriff's Office plans its 2025-26 budget, inmate housing remains a significant concern.

The agency faces challenges due to the jail's limited capacity of 25 beds. Sheriff Reg Gill said inmate overflow has forced the county to rely on Iowa County for additional housing, costing $20,000 a month.

"Currently we're running about $20,000 a month, because right now we have 11 inmates in Iowa County," said Gill.

Labor costs are the largest expense for the sheriff's office, accounting for more than three-quarters of its nearly $4.5 million budget. Gill said costs are also rising in areas such as mental health services for inmates.

"And originally we had set it up for X many hours. We've had to increase that now going into the 2026 budget,

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