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| R.I. Prison Officials Join Gov. In Calling Lawmakers' Math Faulty |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 07/10/2003 |
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Rhode Island's governor has taken the legislature to task for its spending, but there's one area where he's said they should have spent more - the state prisons. Prison officials have joined Gov. Don Carcieri in arguing state lawmaker's math was faulty when they calculated expected cost savings at the prison. They told The Providence Journal that the legislature's budget-writers double counted the $75-a-day revenue the prison expects for housing 19 of an estimated 100 federal detainees. Prison officials also concluded that the lawmakers counted more than once the amount that a reduced inmate population would reduce costs for prison officers, food, medicine and the like. Larry Berman, a spokesman for House Democratic leaders, said Wednesday that he believes the legislature's numbers are sound. ''The finance committee is confident they did not over-count,'' he said. ''They were being fiscally prudent in cutting these numbers down.'' Both the governor and lawmakers agree the prison population has dropped since reaching an all-time high of 3,621 inmates in October 2002. But they don't agree on what the population will cost. Lawmakers shaved more than $5.9 million off Carcieri's original spending request for the prison. The governor said $3.1 million of that is ''pure speculation.'' Legislative leaders are expected to respond in more detail to the governor's budget veto Thursday. They are also expected to call a special session within the next two weeks, to override the veto, so the budget for the year that began July 1 can take effect. |
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