GRAFTON, Ohio - As the Ohio budget bill makes it way through the Senate, the prison employees at Grafton Correctional are planning on voicing their displeasure with Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s plan to sell of five of the state’s prisons to private companies.
The Ohio House voted on their version of the budget bill (House Bill 153) on Thursday and chose to keep the governor’s recommendations that were set forth in the original proposal in March.
The budget calls for selling North Coast Correctional Treatment Center and Grafton Correctional Institution, both in Grafton; North Central Correctional Institution in Marion; Lake Erie Correctional Institution in Conneaut; and a juvenile prison in Marion that closed in 2009 by competitive bid. Kasich said privatizing rather than closing the facilities will save an expected $6.6 million.
But Ohio Civil Service Employees Association union leaders said the sale of the prisons is no more than a “yard sale” that will end up benefitting corporations more than the taxpayers.
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The Ohio Senate will continue their hearing on the budget this week.
http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/political/employees-of-grafton-correctional-plan-all-day-picket-to-protest-plan-to-sell-prisonsPrivate prisons or prisons for profit will push the justice system to keep the prisons full.