Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing that as much as 5 extra New York state prisons be closed — in what critics are calling a negotiating tactic in her ongoing battle with corrections officers who’re holding an unlawful wildcat strike.
The brand new jail cuts — that are buried in amendments to the Governor’s state funds plan launched late Thursday — shocked state lawmakers, a few of whom are fielding calls from frightened and livid corrections officers and households of prisoners.
“Oh shit,” one lawmaker mentioned, having not heard in regards to the proposal till they had been knowledgeable by The Submit Friday morning.
The proposal is sort of an identical to at least one included in final 12 months’s state funds authorizing the Division of Corrections and Group Supervision, DOCCS, to shut as much as 5 prisons of its selecting. The division finally determined to shut two services.
Only a week in the past, DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martucello mentioned that his company hadn’t requested or anticipated any extra closures within the funds.
“At the moment, there are not any closures which are being projected or requested on this funds cycle,” Martucello mentioned.
On the similar listening to Martucello mentioned the closures saved the state $82 million. He additionally famous that fifty workers resigned as a substitute of taking transfers to different services.
Hochul’s proposal comes because the state’s corrections union is utilizing its members’ unlawful strike to attempt to negotiate a roll again of the state’s restrictions on solitary confinement and different advantages for corrections officers.
A spokesperson for the union declined to touch upon the proposed closures.
A number of GOP lawmakers informed The Submit they suppose the proposal is a negotiating tactic.
“That is all in retaliation they usually’re going to go after every of the services which have protested essentially the most,” one lawmaker, who requested to not be named for worry of retaliation towards a jail of their district, mentioned.
Others mentioned they had been caught off guard by the proposal, however weren’t stunned to see it coming from Hochul.
“It’s jaw-droppingly out-of-touch,” state Sen. Jake Ashby (R-Washington) mentioned.
“Kathy Hochul has proven zero management on restoring order in prisons or security on our streets. All she has been profitable in doing is pouring extra gasoline on the fireplace. Asserting the closure of extra prisons it’s simply going to make that fireside burn hotter,” state Sen. George Borello (R-Chautauqua) informed The Submit.
“I can say with nice certainty that she can not shut her method out of the deep-rooted points attributable to unhealthy insurance policies inside our correctional system or the staffing shortages pushed by poor working situations,” Assemblyman Anil Beephan (R-Dutchess) mentioned.
“Let’s maintain violent criminals accountable and never pander to the intense left,” Assemblyman Scott Bendett (R-Rensselaer).
Hochul has deployed the nationwide guard to workers services with placing corrections officers.
“Whereas we proceed efforts to recruit and appeal to new correction officers, each Governor Hochul and Commissioner Martuscello need the Division to have the pliability to shut and consolidate as much as 5 services this 12 months which is able to assist create safer and safer services, and result in improved working situations for workers,” a Hochul spokesperson informed The Submit.
A court docket ordered the officers to return to work earlier this week beneath the Taylor Regulation.
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