February 2, 2012 | By Javier Manjarres | Facebook | Twitter

Florida ACLU Joins Fray over Corrections Bill

By Javier Manjarres

The so-called “Most Conservative Legislature” in Florida’s history is having a bit of an identity crisis of late as Republican legislators are somewhat split on whether to back SB 2038, a bill that privatizes the 28 correction facilities in South Florida. Senator President Mike Haridopolos recently stripped State Senator Mike Fasano of his Chairmanship of the Senate budge subcommittee that oversees spending on courts and prisons. Haridopolos also canned Fasano from the principal budget committee as well-

“I had lost confidence in him to build (on) the mission” of cutting the cost of government. It was a very difficult decision, but I just felt he was not rowing in the same direction. He was not ready to make the tough choices. He couldn’t handle the responsibility.”

Fasano and his moderate to left-leaning positions have been at odds with Haridopolos for quite some time, and it was only a matter of time before these two legislators butted heads once and for all.

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The rumor mills in Tallahassee and Tampa Bay are buzzing that Fasano and the ‘bad blood’ that exists between him and the ‘establishment Republicans’ in Pasco County could prompt a retaliatory run for Congress against sitting Republican Congressman Gus Bilirakis in a primary. This scenario is a plausible one, as it seems the only option that Fasano has after he is term-limited out of his Senate seat.

In addtion to Fasano’s oppositon to the Corrections Bill, Senator Greg Evers (R) has disclosed that his wife Lori Weems is lobbying for four of the union groups that are opposed to the measure.

But according to Evers, the reason for his opposition to the bill is the fact that he has several prisons and numerous employees of those facilities living within his Senate district. Evers also says that his position is independent of his lobbying activity.

The problem for Republicans that are backing the bill is that under Senate rules, Evers is still eligible to vote on the bill even after disclosing his wife’s ties to the unions, and there have been calls for his recusal from voting.

A couple of questions about Evers’ support against the bill are why did Evers vote ‘for’ the issue last year, as it was part of the state budget, and not question it then? The other question that can be asked is, why would be an other so-called “small business’ Republicans ever consider siding with the Teamster’s against freeing up millions of dollars that could go to schools and other pressing priorites.

Some other notable Legislators that are against, or on the fence about passing the corrections privatization bill are Republican Senators Paula Dockery, Steve Oerlrich, Charlie Dean, Chuck Latvala and Nancy Detert.

The Teamsters are not known for the subtly in dealing with issues that affect its members, and they are well known to employ intimidation and ‘Alinsky-stlye’ tactics and antics that get their message across. It’s no surprise that the teamsters are saying that if corrections facilities are privatized it would lead to a significant loss of jobs- but the Teamsters don’t tell you is that the privatization of correctional facilities would still require the same number of employees, and perhaps even more than were already on the job.

Real Conservatives have always pushed back at Teamster’s and at the ACLU’s nefarious ways of trying to take away civil liberties.

Enter the ACLU

The American Civil Liberties Union, or as some call it, the “Anti Constitutional Liberties Union” has now stepped into the fray. The ACLU has just put out a ‘call to action’ that states the following-

“They’re more dangerous for correction workers and inmates, and no person should ever have to worry that the terms and conditions of his or her incarceration are influenced by profit. The only real way to cut prison spending is to break the cycle of mass incarceration.” – ACLU of Florida

Read the press release below.

Tell the Senate: No Private Prisons in Florida

Prisons for profit?

The exploding prison population in Florida benefits no one, except the private prison industry. A bill in the Florida Senate could let them profit off Florida’s addiction to mass incarceration, rather than address the need for real criminal justice reform.

This is our best chance to stop it. Tell the Senate: stop privatizing prisons in our state!

TAKE ACTION

Dear friend of liberty,

You have a critical opportunity to defend freedom in the Florida legislature today.

Right now, legislation is being considered in the Florida Senate which would allow private, for-profit companies to manage 29 Florida prisons. Advocates for civil rights and criminal justice reform had feared that the bill would coast through the legislature, but as more and more Floridians speak out about the harm of private prisons, the bill is stalling.

Now is the time to act. Add your voice to the chorus of Floridians calling for real reform and urge the Senate to stop prison privatization.

Right now about 104,000 Floridians are incarcerated — approximately the population of the city of Clearwater. The private prison industry would feed off this addiction to mass incarceration by obtaining more and more taxpayer dollars to deprive Floridians of their liberty.

Proponents of the bill claim that it will save the state money, but studies have shown again and again that private prisons often end up costing taxpayers more money. They’re more dangerous for correction workers and inmates, and no person should ever have to worry that the terms and conditions of his or her incarceration are influenced by profit. The only real way to cut prison spending is to break the cycle of mass incarceration.

You can help stop this dangerous step backwards for Florida’s mass incarceration problem. With the privatization proposal stalling in the Senate, this week is your best chance to have your voice heard. Tell the Senate: we need serious criminal justice reform, not privatization schemes.

Thank you for standing with us in defense of freedom.

ACLU of Florida
www.aclufl.org