Senate shoots down Mat-Su prison funds

From Sean Cockerham in Juneau –

The Senate just voted to deny money to start ramping up operations at for the troubled Goose Creek prison in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, which is about 80 percent complete.

A Senate subcommittee had recommended against providing the $3.6 million as lawmakers consider if the prison should be opened or mothballed.

Wasilla Republican Sen. Charlie Huggins just offered an amendment on the Senate floor to try and get the money placed into the budget.

Huggins said the prison is largely built and senators shouldn’t let their concerns stop them from providing money for it to go ahead and open.

“This is not about whether we like a prison or not,” he said. “We have a prison.”

Senate Majority Leader Johnny Ellis recommended against providing the money.

He said there needs to be a legislative audit of the prison.

“Until such an audit has been completed I believe it’s premature to approve funds for opening the facility,” Ellis said.

The money for the prison failed on a Senate vote of 15 to 5.

But the money is in the House version of the state’s operating budget. So House and Senate leaders will need to meet before the Legislature adjourns April 17 and hash out if it gets funded.

The $240 million Goose Creek prison project is under big pressure after a Senate committee heard details earlier this month on the expected costs of operating it.

It was supposed to be used to bring about 1,000 inmates housed in a Colorado private prison back to Alaska, but senators said it could be far cheaper to leave the prisoners in Colorado and mothball Goose Creek.

The Goose Creek Correctional Center, at 1,500 beds, would be Alaska’s biggest prison by far, if it opens. It was supposed to ramp up gradually starting in Match 2012.