DOC Budget Passes State Senate
June 1, 2007 - 4:27pm
The Department of Corrections budget, which includes a substantial increase in funding for drug and alcohol programs and cognitive behavioral education, passed the state Senate on a 22-6 vote last week. It now moves to the House floor where Public Safety Subcommittee Chair Rep. Chip Shields will shepherd the budget through to passage.
Rep. Shields deserves great credit for his work on the DOC budget, creating the framework for the first increase in drug and alcohol treatment beds in the last 7,000 beds built by the DOC. State Senators Ginny Burdick, Ben Westlund, Kate Brown and Dave Nelson, along with Representatives Nancy Nathanson and Jeff Barker, voted yes to move the bill from the Public Safety Subcommittee.
On the down side, the DOC budget increase is close to 25% and is now over $1.3 billion. Most of the increase this session comes from opening and running the new Deer Ridge prison in Madras.
Separate from the line items in the DOC budget is $10 million authorized for Certificates of Participation (COPs). COPs are like bonds that are sold to generate revenue to build state-owned buildings like prisons and community colleges. The $10 million will be used to begin the design of Oregon’s next prison.
Rep. Shields deserves great credit for his work on the DOC budget, creating the framework for the first increase in drug and alcohol treatment beds in the last 7,000 beds built by the DOC. State Senators Ginny Burdick, Ben Westlund, Kate Brown and Dave Nelson, along with Representatives Nancy Nathanson and Jeff Barker, voted yes to move the bill from the Public Safety Subcommittee.
On the down side, the DOC budget increase is close to 25% and is now over $1.3 billion. Most of the increase this session comes from opening and running the new Deer Ridge prison in Madras.
Separate from the line items in the DOC budget is $10 million authorized for Certificates of Participation (COPs). COPs are like bonds that are sold to generate revenue to build state-owned buildings like prisons and community colleges. The $10 million will be used to begin the design of Oregon’s next prison.
