Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing that up to five more New York state prisons be closed — in what critics are calling a negotiating tactic in her ongoing battle with corrections officers who are holding an illegal wildcat strike.
The new prison cuts — which are buried in amendments to the Governor’s state budget plan released late Thursday — shocked state lawmakers, some of whom are fielding calls from frightened and furious corrections officers and families of prisoners.
“Oh shit,” one lawmaker said, having not heard about the proposal until they were informed by The Post Friday morning.
The proposal is almost identical to one included in last year’s state budget authorizing the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, DOCCS, to close up to five prisons of its choosing. The department ultimately decided to close two facilities.
Just a week ago, DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martucello said that his agency hadn’t requested or anticipated any more closures in the budget.
“At this time, there are no closures that are being projected or requested in this budget cycle,” Martucello said.
At the same hearing Martucello said the closures saved the state $82 million. He also noted that 50 staff resigned instead of taking transfers to other facilities.
Hochul’s proposal comes as the state’s corrections union is using its members’ illegal strike to try to negotiate a roll back of the state’s restrictions on solitary confinement and other benefits for corrections officers.
A spokesperson for the union declined to comment on the proposed closures.
Several GOP lawmakers told The Post they think the proposal is a negotiating tactic.
“This is all in retaliation and they’re going to go after each of the facilities that have protested the most,” one lawmaker, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation against a prison in their district, said.
Others said they were caught off guard by the proposal, but weren’t surprised to see it coming from Hochul.
“It is jaw-droppingly out-of-touch,” state Sen. Jake Ashby (R-Washington) said.
“Kathy Hochul has shown zero leadership on restoring order in prisons or safety on our streets. All she has been successful in doing is pouring more gasoline on the fire. Announcing the closure of more prisons it’s just going to make that fire burn hotter,” state Sen. George Borello (R-Chautauqua) told The Post.
“I can say with great certainty that she cannot close her way out of the deep-rooted issues caused by bad policies within our correctional system or the staffing shortages driven by poor working conditions,” Assemblyman Anil Beephan (R-Dutchess) said.
“Let’s hold violent criminals accountable and not pander to the extreme left,” Assemblyman Scott Bendett (R-Rensselaer).
Hochul has deployed the national guard to staff facilities with striking corrections officers.
“While we continue efforts to recruit and attract new correction officers, both Governor Hochul and Commissioner Martuscello want the Department to have the flexibility to close and consolidate up to five facilities this year which will help create safer and more secure facilities, and lead to improved working conditions for staff,” a Hochul spokesperson told The Post.
A court ordered the officers to return to work earlier this week under the Taylor Law.
