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| Calif. Prison System Money Request Draws Criticism |
| By San Jose Mercury News |
| Published: 05/22/2003 |
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California's prison system is asking for another $69 million because of overspending on its budget, fueled in part by rising overtime costs. Critics, however, consider the request another example of the Department of Corrections' failure to control runaway costs -- even as the state faces a record budget deficit that could spur tax increases and cuts to programs that serve the most needy. 'The Department of Corrections is the most poorly run state agency in the state of California,'' said Assemblywoman Sarah Reyes, D-Fresno, who serves on a subcommittee reviewing the prison budget. 'They have to be willing to solve the problem, not continually come to the well for more money.'' Reyes faulted the department for being unable to accurately tell her the number of inmates incarcerated in California, failing to develop a modern information technology system and not filling vacancies, prompting rising overtime costs. Department spokesman Russ Heimrich downplayed the request, which is prompted by officer overtime as well as worker's compensation claims and hiring temporary employees. 'This happens every year,'' Heimrich said. 'These are payments we have to make.'' Heimrich said the department has built-in budget problems, noting that many overtime costs aren't budgeted. Wendy Still, the department's budget officer, said steps have been taken to rein in costs. Among other things, prisons no longer keep a six-month backlog of food and clothing on hand. Still said the core problem is that the state fails to adequately fund operations of a modern prison system with an increasingly violent population. And she projects that due to labor negotiations salaries will be rising even more in the coming years. Each of the last six fiscal years, the agency has overspent its budget. In 1997-98 the amount was $6.2 million, but it ballooned to at least $178.6 million last year, according to legislative figures. |
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