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| Prison in danger of closure |
| By nashuatelegraph.com |
| Published: 03/22/2011 |
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CONCORD – A proposed House budget would close the state prison in Berlin, cut state aid to higher education by 45 percent and put six state racing and gaming commissioners out of their part-time jobs. The two-year spending plan is expected to spend $300 million less than what Gov. John Lynch had proposed in his budget last week. House Finance Chairman Kenneth Weyler, R-Kingston, said the working groups presenting their recommendations have “delicately balanced” the plan in the face of strong criticism from supporters of state programs. “We think it’s a very complicated, very finely balanced budget we have done thus far,” Weyler said. “This hasn’t been easy, because I know there has been a lot of pressure coming from the outside.” The panel heard from the chairmen of two subcommittees Monday that offered spending cuts totaling about $90 million. Today, they will get the report from the third – Rep. Neal Kurk, R-Weare, who has prepared cuts at about $200 million to human service programs. House budget writers learned that Corrections Commissioner William Wrenn favors closing the medium-security prison in Berlin to cope with a proposed 5 percent cut in personnel spending. Wrenn said it’s the only way to achieve $2.5 million in staff cuts each year and keep the prison system operating. “I conclude, after careful consideration, that this can only be accomplished with the closure of the Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility located in Berlin,” Wrenn said. “To be clear, it is not my recommendation that this facility be closed.” Lynch considered taking this step but rejected what Wrenn called a “radical consequence” of budget cutting. The Berlin prison houses 185 inmates and has a staff of 618. “We will reduce our inmate population by contracting for bed space out of state,” Wrenn said in a letter to House budget writers. “The costs associated with sending those inmates out of state is high but can be accomplished with the savings from closing the prison.” Rep. William Belvin, R-Amherst, said Wrenn never mentioned closing a prison as an option, but did not quarrel with the position he took. “There are also risks of doing nothing and the uncontrolled spending in the state,” Belvin said. In higher education, the plan would cut down to $55 million of annual state aid to the University System of New Hampshire, the network of four-year colleges. The colleges get $100 million in state aid this year. Lynch had called for cutting the amount to $95 million. Rep. Will Smith, R-New Castle, said making this size cut wasn’t difficult but “appropriate” after consulting with University System Chancellor Edward McKay. “We did have discussions; these were not happy discussions,” Smith admitted. The two-year community college system took a 35 percent, or $29 million, cut in support from what it now receives. Lynch had proposed to cut spending by $17.5 million, and the House proposal would add another $11.4 million in cuts. The House budget plan would adopt many changes contained in policy bills it has approved, such as HB 348 that moves the Racing and Charitable Gaming Commission into the Lottery Commission. This move means the elimination of all six state racing commissioners, who each earn at least $11,000 a year. All will lose their posts once individual terms run out. Former Nashua Mayor Bernie Streeter is one such commissioner whose term will end next month. Lynch did not propose getting rid of the commission with his budget plan. House Speaker William O’Brien praised Supreme Court Chief Justice Linda Dalianis and other judicial administrators for offering reforms that will make the courts more accessible to the public and more financially efficient. “The judiciary was unique in Division I of the House Finance Committee by coming forward with a well-thought-out plan to re-engineer how they do business that will save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in the future. For that reason, they are only part of the Division I budget that will see its budget go up in a very difficult budget season,” O’Brien said. Read More. |
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