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| Another $7M Found for Mont. Prison System |
| By Billings Gazette |
| Published: 03/24/2003 |
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Lawmakers scratched up another $7 million for the state Department of Corrections March 12, although the agency still needs millions of dollars more to maintain the prisons and programs that it operates. Since almost the first day of the session, lawmakers have been trying to find a way to give the department all the money that Gov. Judy Martz called for in her budget proposal announced in November. That budget, which nonetheless represents a cut for corrections, is something Corrections Director Bill Slaughter has said is acceptable. But as of this week, when the budget process kicked into high gear, the agency was still $11.2 million shy of that mark. Efforts earlier this week to restore most of the money failed. Without the $11 million, Slaughter said the agency would have to close down the new wing of the Montana Women's Prison in Billings and suspend a successful lockdown treatment program for chronic drunken drivers, among other things. The decision brought some relief. In a move forwarded by Rep. Dave Lewis, R-Helena, the House Appropriations Commit-tee voted 11 to 8 -- along party lines -- to take $7 million from a pool of money earmarked for old worker's compensation insurance claims and give it to Corrections. But that money is contingent on the passage of House Bill 363, sponsored by Rep. Roy Brown, R-Billings, that would allow the Legislature to spend some money still in the state's old work comp fund. Joe Williams, administrator of Corrections' Centralized Services Division, said recently that he was pleased lawmakers restored at least some of the agency's money and said he was optimistic that the remaining $4 million might be found later on. |
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