Canyon County prosecutors are pushing for the city of Caldwell to pay a larger share of misdemeanor prosecution costs, arguing that county taxpayers currently shoulder an unfair burden for cases generated within city limits.
The Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced this week that it will pursue what it calls proportionate cost sharing in its contract with Caldwell to handle misdemeanor prosecutions. The move comes after a similar agreement was reached with Nampa last year.
Current Cost Split Creates Taxpayer Imbalance
According to the prosecutor’s office, Canyon County taxpayers currently pay approximately $2.4 million annually to handle misdemeanor prosecutions across the entire county. Caldwell-related cases accounted for nearly 23 percent of that workload last year, but the city reimbursed only 7 percent of the costs back to county taxpayers under the existing contract.
Had Caldwell covered its proportionate share in 2025, the city would have paid $569,114 to the county. Instead, Caldwell paid $350,425, leaving other taxpayers to cover the remaining costs, prosecutors said.
Nampa Agreement Sets Precedent
Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Boyd said his office worked through the same issue with the city of Nampa in 2025, resulting in what he described as reasonable cost-sharing between the city and county.
Boyd said he appreciates Caldwell’s understanding that prosecution costs need to be fairly reimbursed among all taxpayers.
Background on Misdemeanor Prosecution Funding
Misdemeanor prosecutions in Canyon County include crimes such as petty theft, DUI, domestic battery, and other offenses that carry penalties of up to six months in jail or fines up to $1,000. While these crimes occur within city limits, the prosecuting attorney’s office operates at the county level and handles cases from all municipalities.
Cities contract with the county prosecutor’s office rather than maintaining separate city attorneys for criminal prosecution. The question of how much cities should reimburse the county for this service has become a point of negotiation as caseloads and costs have grown.
Impact on Canyon County Taxpayers
The prosecutor’s office argues that when cities do not cover their proportionate share of prosecution costs, rural county residents and taxpayers in other municipalities end up subsidizing law enforcement expenses generated by crimes that occur in Caldwell.
For Caldwell taxpayers, an increased contribution to the county would likely mean higher city costs passed through property taxes or other municipal revenue sources. However, prosecutors say the current arrangement unfairly spreads those costs across the entire county rather than focusing them on the jurisdiction where the crimes occurred.
What Comes Next
The prosecutor’s office has announced its intent to pursue the cost-sharing changes but has not specified a timeline for renegotiating the contract with Caldwell. City officials have not yet publicly responded to the prosecutor’s announcement.
Similar negotiations with Nampa took place over the course of 2025, suggesting that reaching a new agreement with Caldwell could take several months. The outcome will affect budget planning for both the city and the county in future fiscal years.