The House Passes $2 Billion In Funding, but the Governor and the Senate say that's too much
KINROSS, MI -- "We're trying to train prisoners to go back into society and be a law-abiding citizen, we work hard at that," said Chippewa Correctional Facility Warden Greg McQuiggin.
The Warden says reduced funding hasn't made that easy and now more than ever efficiency is key.
Michigan Lawmakers are working on ways to cut prison spending.
The Michigan House has passed a budget bill that calls for about $2 Billion to go toward the Department of Corrections.
The Governor and the Senate say that's too much.
More than 2,200 inmates make up Chippewa Correctional Facility. Keeping the facility up and running is no easy task as the Department of Corrections budget is reduced year after year. Now it appears the department's budget is facing bigger cuts next year. The Warden here says efficiency is key.
“Operationally, we're doing a lot of efficiencies. We look at our operations and say how can we be more efficient? A lot of people look at it as a prison, which it is, and we're here to protect the public, but in essence, it's a business, a business of taking care of the public," said McQuiggin.
The Warden says the dedicated staff makes it possible, but businesses need money to succeed. The Chippewa Correctional Facility is in the same boat as all other state departments, they're seeing less money because of failing revenues.
"It isn't like a school district where we have so much per pupil, we do have so much for prisoner, but we have these costs that are included in that, as a whole, it is very difficult economically to operate any business as you're well aware of in the state of Michigan when the revenue is not coming in,” said McQuiggin.
$48 million were appropriated to the Chippewa Correctional Facility this fiscal year. Governor Granholm has called for less prison spending, by releasing some inmates early on good behavior. For the Chippewa Correctional Facility, $70 is spent a day on each inmate. Republicans say that amount needs to be reduced. But with reduced dollars, it makes it even harder for the warden, who says efficiencies can be made until you start sacrificing corrections
“In my eyes, we cannot, but then again, I don't have to balance the budget, like in our constitution, like our Constitution requires us to balance the budget, at least that's the Legislations job, and the Governor," said the Warden.
The Warden says he is prepared for less money and he says changes will continue to be made to keep the prison operating.
Among some of the most recent changes, last year, the Straits and Chippewa Correctional Facilities merged; consolidation that saved the Department of Corrections $1 million.
Legislators will continue ironing out the details of the Department of Corrections budget over the next few weeks, with hopes of having an agreement before legislative summer recess.
