After the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced Dec. 6 the closure of two prisons and suspension of six other facilities, Democrat lawmaker Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) said more closures could be on the way.
Ting, the chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, released a budget outline Dec. 7 that indicated three more prisons could close by summer 2023 “saving the state up to $500 million annually and [avoiding] billions in capital expenses.”
The outline also said despite population declines, corrections spending grew from $10.2 billion in fiscal year 2012–2013 to $14.6 billion in 2022–2023.
The budget proposal comes after the announcement of the closure of Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in Blythe, about 100 miles east of Palm Desert, and the California City Correctional Facility, about 75 miles southeast of Bakersfield. Both will close in March 2025.
In light of the closures, officials said the department is working to “minimize the impact” on employees working at the locations.
Ting rolled out the budget plan as officials prepare for the next fiscal cycle, which runs from July 2023 through June 2024.
California is estimated to face a $24 billion shortfall in the 2023–2024 fiscal year, according to the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office, who advised lawmakers in November to cut down on spending.
