Sen. Mike Hewitt's statement on Facility Closure Report

October 14, 2009

OLYMPIA...The 2009-11 Washington state budget directed the Office of Financial Management to hire a consultant to create a plan for reducing correctional, juvenile rehabilitation and developmental-disability facilities statewide, including 1,580 prison beds.  Today OFM released the consultant’s draft report on recommended closures.

One of the options in the report is to close the old main institution at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, a loss of hundreds of prison beds and many jobs in the local community. OFM will take public comment on the draft recommendations and present a final report to the Legislature by Nov. 1.  

Sen. Mike Hewitt issued the following statement regarding the draft report: 

“The options laid out in today’s report are not the only ones we should be considering. There’s another way to approach this problem that could benefit our state budget and our local economies. Over the short run, it’s true that we do have some excess prison capacity. But we know that over the long run we will need more beds. Why not rent those temporary surplus beds to other states to house their inmates? We’d generate revenue and be ready with the facility once we need it, rather than having to ramp it up again or build new facilities. That would also help us solve the ‘yo-yo’ problem we seem to have with our prisons. Just a few years ago we built new facilities based on projections that we would need them. Now we are talking about closing them. There’s a better way to approach this problem, and I encourage the governor and the Legislature to consider it. 

“That said, if it does come down to only the options in this report, it’s very important to look at the impacts to our local communities. The measure that required this study said it should consider the impact of the facility on the local economy and the economic impact of its closure. The closure of this facility would have a tremendous impact on Walla Walla’s economy. We have one of the slowest job growth rates in our state, and a relatively small job base. These jobs would be difficult, if not impossible, to replace, especially when compared to other communities. If the final report holds true to the Legislature’s intentions, it will consider the negative impact on our community when making its recommendations.  

“The Washington State Penitentiary has already taken more than 40 percent of the 279 job cuts the Department of Corrections made during the last biennium. Penitentiary jobs make up 5.7 percent of our county’s wages. While I believe it’s important to run our correctional system efficiently, it’s also important to be equitable when making these decisions.  

“I want to thank the Walla Walla Community Task Force for all the work it’s done researching and explaining the impact this closure would have on our community. I encourage citizens who have an opinion to weigh in on the report and the idea of temporarily renting the beds to other states before the final report is due to the Legislature next month. I’ll do my very best to ensure these jobs remain in Walla Walla.”   

For more information contact Senate Republican Caucus Communications Director  Rebecca Japhet at (360) 786-7516 or japhet.rebecca@leg.wa.gov.