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Maine considers private prison bill

The facility, built by Corrections Corporation of America, would cost $100 million to $150 million and house 1,000 to 2,300 inmates

Boston.com

AUGUSTA, Maine—Prospects of building a privately run prison in the economically depressed town of Milo appear to be gaining momentum with a new administration in the State House and legislation being prepared to pave the way for such a project.

Republican Sen. Douglas Thomas’ bill has yet to be fleshed out, but it’s clearly aimed at authorizing a prison in the Piscataquis County town of about 2,400, which has a double-digit unemployment rate and has been buffeted by a loss of businesses not to mention devastating fire in 2008 that wiped out a third of its downtown.

“If there’s a chance of getting 100 good-paying jobs, I’m interested,” said Thomas, of Ripley.

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