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Parent Article: Mainstream media ignoring private prison reccomendation by Gov. Ryan |
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more pantagraph coverage of private prison issue (11/30) |
by Nick
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
30 Nov 2001
Modified: 25 Jan 2002 |
Ryan wants another $154 million in cuts
By Kurt Erickson
Statehouse bureau chief
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The union representing thousands of state employees called on the governor to continue investigating alternatives to budget cuts.
Henry Bayer, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, said a proposed prescription drug plan bottled up in the Senate for more than a year could save the state upwards of $200 million annually, staving off the need for some cuts.
Bayer also said Ryan earlier rejected plans to privatize services at state prisons, but now is talking about privatizing housekeeping and food service programs at state facilities, including those in Dwight, Pontiac and Lincoln.
"There are real security issues involved in having private contractors bringing minimum wage workers into prisons to supervise prisoners who have access to knives, heavy kitchen objects and other implements," Bayer said.
State Rep. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, sided with Bayer, saying, "I don't agree with the governor on some of the cuts he's doing."
Rutherford said there are no guarantees that privatizing food service at Pontiac Correctional Center will save money.
"I have not seen testimony that says doing that has some verifiable cost savings," said Rutherford.
State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, said the cuts were unavoidable.
"I think that state government has enjoyed some good spending years. It has just come to a screeching halt. It's a terrible dilemma and its going to hurt terribly," said Brady. |
