Cutting Librarians and Therapists Would Save Prisons Millions
Senate Panel Finds $72.5 Million To Cut From Prison Administration
Shhh . . . keep it down.
A Michigan Senate committee has identified $5.6 million the state could save by cutting prison library staff.
“We found that some prisons have up to four library staff members,” said Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph, chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Department of Corrections. “Overall, our budget would cut 52 library staff members from the state's prisons. That would bring a savings of $5.6 million.”
That $5.6 million represents only a fraction of the savings the subcommittee identified. On March 28, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a 2013 budget that sliced $72.5 million from Gov. Rick Snyder's budget recommendation.
In addition to cutting prison library staffs, the committee found that $1.4 million in potential savings could be realized by eliminating music therapists and recreational therapists from prison budgets.
“There's just no way we can justify funding those positions,” Sen. Proos said, referring to the music and recreational therapists. “Prisons need to do more with less, just like the private sector does; and frankly, like most of our schools are doing.”
The highlight of the legislation (Senate Bill 0951) are $58.7 million in savings from reducing facility-level noncustodial (not involved with keeping prisoners in custody) staff by 580.
The largest portion of the $58.7 million in savings would be $32.1 million through elimination of 300 assistant resident unit supervisors. According to the findings of the committee, Michigan's prisons have adequate management personnel without the added layer these supervisors represent.
In addition to eliminating the assistant supervisors and librarians, other cost-saving cutbacks in the measure include:
- Limiting each prison warden office to just one secretary — $12 million in savings
- Limiting each prison to just one word processing expert — $2.5 million in savings
- Limiting each prison to just one deputy warden — $3.1 million in savings
- Limiting prisons to just one corrections inspector — $1.4 million
“Michigan’s prison populations have decreased by 8,000 in five years and we have closed 14 facilities, yet corrections still employs one-third of all state employees and their costs keep going up,” Sen. Proos said. “This budget is a step toward bringing Michigan’s costs in line with surrounding states. We have reduced unnecessary administration like multiple secretaries and word processing assistants, and we have been innovative enough to ensure taxpayers are getting the most value for their dollar.”
Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.
Love CapCon?
The best way you can help support our work is to become a donor. Give monthly or one-time. What do you say — buy our reporters a cup of coffee?
March 30, 2012, MichiganVotes.org Weekly Roll Call
MichiganVotes.org sends a weekly report to newspapers and TV stations around the state showing how state legislators in their service area voted on the most important or interesting bills of the past week. Y = Yes, N = No, X = Not Voting
Senate Bill 291, Final vote on repeal motorcycle operation: Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate
To repeal the mandatory helmet requirement for a motorcycle operator who is age 21 or older, has been riding for at least two years or passes a safety test, and has a personal injury insurance policy providing at least $20,000 in benefits. This vote sends the measure to Gov. Snyder for approval or veto.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 351, Earmark some sales tax money to roads: Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate
To earmark a specified portion of sales tax revenue to road projects. Depending on the average price of fuel, this would provide between $100 million and $140 million annually for road projects (or more if prices go higher).
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 135, Revise abortion parental authority waiver: Passed 28 to 10 in the Senate
To require a court considering a petition from a minor for authority to get an abortion over the objection of her parents to consider the rebuttable presumption that a minor is not capable of providing informed consent for medical treatment. A waiver of parental denial could only be granted if the girl demonstrates a level of maturity based on various specified factors, or if her parents are neglectful or abusive. A girl whose petition was denied could not seek a waiver in another court division, but could appeal to a higher court. Gov. Jennifer Granholm vetoed a very similar bill in 2004.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 4803, Sell state fairgrounds: Passed 34 to 4 in the Senate
To transfer the state fairgrounds in Detroit to a Michigan "Land Bank Fast Track Authority" created by the legislature in 2003, which has extensive powers to assemble and dispose of tax reverted property. Alternatively, the state could sell the property itself at fair market value, or give it to a local government. The property could not be used for a horse or auto race track, casino, prison or railroad freight yard. Part of the sale is in Senate Bill 515.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 4601, Limit certain asbestos liability: Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate
To limit the liability of a company that had acquired another company which may have produced or sold asbestos in the past. The bill would prohibit a court from imposing asbestos damage judgments that exceed the value of the acquired company. Under current law a court can order damages up to the value of the entire enterprise, even if the acquired subsidiary represents only a small part of the overall firm's value.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 712, Ban welfare for big lottery winners
To include money won in lottery or other gambling as part of “countable income” and/or assets for purposes of determining eligibility for food stamps and other state welfare benefits. With this week's votes on this bill, Senate Bill 711 and House Bill 5033, bans on welfare for big lottery winners go to Gov. Rick Snyder for approval or veto.
House Bill 5061, Require photo I.D. when applying in person for absentee ballot: Passed 65 to 45 in the House
To require a person to have photo identification when applying in person for an absentee ballot. A person with no I.D. could still get a ballot, but it would be considered "challenged" (meaning subject to confirmation of identity).
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5009, Exempt senior center poker from (private) gambling ban: Passed 106 to 4 in the House
To exempt low stakes card games (25-cent maximum “ante” and $5 maximum "pot" and initial "buy-in") in government (but not private) senior centers from state prohibitions on (private) gambling. Under current law the exemption applies only to senior citizen housing facilities.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 981, Authorize autism-mandate insurance company subsidies: Passed 84 to 26 in the House
To authorize state government subsidies to health insurance companies to compensate for the new coverage mandate proposed by Senate Bill 414, which would require insurers to include autism coverage in all policies. Any actual subsidy payments would have to be added to annual appropriations passed by the legislature.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 414, Impose autism insurance mandate: Passed 91 to 19 in the House
To impose a new coverage mandate that would require health insurance policies to include coverage for treatments related to autism, and ban higher deductibles or lower benefit levels for this than for other ailments. Senate Bill 981 would authorize state subsidies to insurance companies to cover the extra cost.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 1018, Ban unionization of contractors paid with government subsidies: Passed 63 to 46 in the House
To establish that a person whose private employment compensation comes from a direct or indirect government subsidy is not considered a government employee, and so is not subject to being inducted into a government employee union. Such a scheme involving home day care providers was ended by the Snyder administration subsequent to a Mackinac Center legal challenge, and the bill would (eventually) end a still-ongoing one extracting SEIU union dues from home health care providers who are mostly relatives of disabled individuals.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Interested in a cumulative list of all weekly Roll Call Report Votes for 2012?
SOURCE: MichiganVotes.org, a free, nonpartisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, nonpartisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Please visit https://www.michiganvotes.org.
Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.