CARIBOU, Maine (WAGM) - County officials are raising concerns after a second consecutive year of reduced state funding for the Aroostook County jail system.

With rising expenses and shrinking support from Augusta, the financial burden is falling directly on local taxpayers.

Two years ago, the jail system received $1.7 million in state funding. Last year, that amount dropped by $300,000 to $1.4 million. This year, funding was cut again—by another $200,000—bringing the total to $1.2 million. That’s a half-million-dollar decrease over just two years, says County Adminstrator Ryan Pelletier. And he doesn’t expect that trend to reverse anytime soon.

“It’s formula driven, but what is really more concerning to me, and really should be concerning to our citizens and our taxpayers here in the co

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