The budget for the Department of
Corrections was approved on Thursday reestablishing a lease of a private prison
in Baldwin and calls for the closure of two unspecified prisons.
Senator John Proos (R-Saint Joseph),
chair of the Appropriations Corrections Subcommittee, responded to Department
of Corrections officials whom warned the committee of the closures by citing a
trending surge in open beds. Department officials recognize the decrease in the
state’s prison population, but feel it is too soon to say whether this will be
long term. The closures would save about $46.97 million and the private prison
in Baldwin would cost $31.6 million. From the savings, about $14 million will
go into infrastructure needs at Corrections facilities.
The Senate bill and funding
recommendation from Governor Snyder both increase funding from the General Fund
to corrections, albeit the Senate bill is lower by $10 million.