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Bernalillo County residents could see their property taxes jump by as much as 55 percent and their sales tax rise, too, if a county proposal wins approval by the Legislature.

Voters would have to approve either of the tax increases, which county officials say is necessary to help fund the Metropolitan Detention Center.

Whether the county wins the initial approval from the Legislature remains a question.

The county will lobby in Santa Fe during the 30-day session that starts Jan. 15, seeking to increase its taxing authority by up to $71 million a year by raising both property and gross receipts taxes.

County officials say they don't necessarily have to increase taxes if they get the requested authority, but it serves as a backup plan to fund the jail, which continues to sink deeper into financial trouble.

Opponents of the county's effort, however, say an increase is unwarranted and would lead to a tax hike within a couple of years.

County Commission Chairman Alan Armijo said the county will eventually have to slash funding for other public services if it can't raise enough money to operate the jail.

"It would be a last resort," he said. "But at the same time, we have demands. And one of them is keeping people in jail who do crime."

Operational costs of the jail have increased by about 10 percent every year for the past 10 years, mainly because of crowding, said Teresa Byrd, budget director for the county. The county expects jail operating costs to reach $64 million next year, Byrd said.

The county's request for an additional $71 million in taxing authority would allow the county to raise taxes gradually, as the need arose, Armijo said.

The bulk of the revenue would come from increasing the gross receipts tax. The county wants authority to ask voters to boost the tax -cent to -cent. That would provide $60 million a year, Armijo said.

The county also wants authority to raise property taxes from 11.85 mills to 18.35 mills, a 55 percent increase. That would mean an increase of $215 for every $100,000 in home value, giving the county an extra $11 million for the jail annually, he said.

Several legislators say they are more inclined to support the county's gross receipts tax expansion.

While residents as well as visitors pay the gross receipts tax, an increase in property taxes would rest solely on Bernalillo County residents, said House Speaker Ben Lujan, a Nambé Democrat.

"I'm always very skeptical about increasing property taxes," said Lujan. "I would rather them use gross receipts."

Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones, an Albuquerque Republican, said residents already are burdened with enough taxes and don't need to see an increase.

"I'm a bit queasy and reluctant to grant the cities and the counties any more taxing authority unless it goes to voters," she said. "I'm very wary of raising property taxes. And when I look at my own district - I have an aging district - property taxes is the most regressive and most painful for them."

County Commissioner Tim Cummins, who voted in favor of seeking the higher taxing authority at a meeting earlier this fall, said if the Legislature approves the request, it doesn't mean the county will automatically start taxing its residents.

"We're not going to the state Legislature saying, `Give us more taxes,' " Cummins said.

But it's important that legislators pass the measure, he said.

"At the end of the day, people want safety," he said. "And they relate to policemen and firemen, but they don't think about the corrections part of it, the jail, of public safety. They want people locked up."

Michael Brasher, the only county commissioner to vote against the measure, said the county needs to focus on controlling expenses, not raising taxes.

"I have some concern that if we get the authority we'll impose the taxes," he said. "Property taxes are a major concern of mine. The property taxes really hit people hard. Some people are land-rich and cash-poor, and the property tax would be a hard hit."