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Lawmakers consider closing prisons to balance the budget

April 16, 2003
By: Elizabeth Gill
State Capital Bureau

With a budget shortfall close to $700 million dollars, lawmakers are considering many options to balance the budget, including closing prisons. Elizabeth Gill has the story.

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The Senate Appropriates Committee heard a proposal to close the Boonville and Chillicothe correctional centers to help balance the state's budget.

The closures would result in the release of more than 12 hundred inmates.

Senator Mathewson, who represents Boonville, says he's not happy about the proposal and that people sentenced to prison should serve their time.

But he says lawmakers haven't been focused enough on balancing the budget and now face tough decisions and difficult outcomes:

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Contents: "Why are we out there worrying about whether a pigeon's going to be the state bird or something instead of being concerned about the severity of the pain we're going to being to the state of Missouri."

Senate Appropriations chairman John Russell says closing prisons is an unlikely option because the department is not equiped to supervise the release of 12 hundred plus prisoners.

From the state Capitol, I'm Elizabeth Gill, KMOX news.

Lawmakers consider closing prisons to cover the nearly $700 million dollar shortfall. Elizabeth Gill has the story.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

The Senate Appropriations committee heard a proposal to close the Boonville and Chillicothe prisons to help balance the budget.

The closings would result in the release of more than 12 hundreds prisoners.

But Senate appropriations chair John Russell says he doesn't think closing the prisons is a realistic option.

He says the state would have to develop an adequate parole system that would take months of planning.

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Contents: "We are not hardly equipped to do that kind of planning and the department may not even be in a position to give a quick response to such plans.

Senator Jim Mathewson, who represents Boonville, says lawmakers failure to address the budget early enough. He says the state now has to face difficult choices that will result in what he calls severe pain for the state of Missouri.

From the state capitol, I'm Elizabeth Gill, KMOX news.