Salina ? Saline County voters narrowly rejected a proposed half-cent sales tax to fund a new jail and justice center and parking garage.

Unofficial results from Tuesday’s election showed the tax for the $46.5 million project failed by 882 votes, 6,369 to 5,487.

Supporters of the tax argued that the county badly needs more space for its law enforcement facilities. They say the current 192-bed jail is constantly overcrowded and inmates have to be housed in surrounding counties. The new jail would have held 344 beds.

The justice center would have housed the courts, court services and county attorney, which currently are in a City-County building. The proposed building would have placed community corrections in an addition to the current jail and sheriff’s office, and added a 250-300 space parking garage.