Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla said it is back to the county commissioners and back to square one after voters in the county said no Tuesday night for a second time to a jail levy.

Abdalla said that without the money that would have been generated from the levy, safety is at risk and the number of prisoners being held in the jail will continue to go down.

Abdalla told News9 that if he eventually has to close it, he will.

Right now the financial burden of operating the jail will go back to the county commissioners because the levy will not be on a ballot again, the sheriff said.

"I asked the citizens of Jefferson County twice to support a levy. I’ve got their message. I’ll never ask again. I’ll do the best I can do with what I got and if that means shutting the jail down to a dozen or 15 people, that’s what it’s going to take," Abdalla said.