NY Governor proposes closing 4 upstate prisons

Gov. Paterson says budget plans call for shutting 4 upstate facilities

January 19, 2010 06:49 AM

New York state budget director Robert L. Megna, left, explains the details of New York Gov. David Paterson’s executive budget proposal during a speech in Albany, N.Y., on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010. Seated at right are Paterson and New York Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch. *(AP Photo/Tim Roske)*

WCAX.com
Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. — Four state correctional facilities will be closed if lawmakers go along with budget plans Gov. David Paterson announced today.

The governor wants to close the prisons to save money as inmate populations are expected to continue to drop by 2,100 over thenext two years to 57,600. Lyon Mountain in Clinton County and Butler in Wayne County, both minimum security prisons, would close in January 2011. They would be followed in April 2011 by Moriah shock facility in Essex County and Ogdensburg medium security prison in St. Lawrence County.

Because New York’s crime rate is down 28 percent in a decade, Paterson also proposed not holding a state police training class this year and hiring no recruits for the second straight year. That would lead to an estimated 2-year loss of 269 positions through attrition by April 2011 from a high of some 4,900 officers.