Senator criticizes prison cuts as lawmakers debate property tax relief

LINCOLN, Nebraska — Criticism of the prison cuts arose on Thursday when state lawmakers debated a bill to finance property tax relief.

Senator Robert Clements said the balance of the Correctional Services Cash Fund is currently $12.5 million and the department is not using all of the interest the fund generates.

“We have not taken any interest from the Vocational Life Skills Program in Corrections. We have not taken any interest from the Prison Overcrowding Contingency Fund in Corrections, so we have been careful not to harm important programs, and in my opinion we have not harmed the Correctional Services Cash Fund,” Clements said.

“Any money taken away from correctional facilities is harmful, and we have water problems today because the men are not getting adequate water,” said Senator Terrell McKinney.

McKinney has frequently criticized the Nebraska Department of Corrections as he tries to prevent the construction of a new state prison.

On the 12th day of a special session of senators, two budget bills were on the agenda.