PHARSALIA –Gov. David Paterson’s proposed 2009-10 state budget cuts call for the closure of Camp Pharsalia.
This is the second time since November that the governor has aimed to cut back at the minimum security facility, which state officials claim is below 50 percent capacity and needs to be consolidated into other facilities.
“I’m not happy about this. Pharsalia has been an ongoing saga for many years. It gets tougher and tougher every year to keep it open,” said Sen. Thomas W. Libous, R-Binghamton.
This is hardly the first time the prison facility has found itself posed on the state’s chopping block.
Former Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s 2008-09 budget proposal also called for its closure, but local state representatives in the districts were able to convince the state to reverse it plans.
The New York State Department of Correctional Services began implementing an $8.7 million savings plan in November that closed one of camp’s housing units.
This action was part of a larger state move called for by Gov. Paterson to reduce housing in 15 prisons.
Originally, Camp Pharsalia had four dormitories. One was closed in 2004, and the November shut down was completed in early December, leaving only two housing units in operation.
The facility has since faced a gradual loss of inmates and staff in an eroding war of attrition, said Libous.
“They (Department of Correctional Services) have been downsizing without legislative approval, which is extremely frustrating,” said the senator.
Union Steward Paul Lashway said the site is not as funded by the state as it should be and that DOCS is refusing to replace retiring and transferring officers.
“They were cutting the population down and refusing to transfer officers in. Now they’re saying we’re below 50 percent capacity, lacking prison population and officers. It has become a numbers game for them,” said Lashway.
Lashway cast doubt on the figures projected from Albany estimating that the closure of the facility along with two other camps would save $26 million in 2009 and another $26 million in 2010.
“I think before anything is moved ahead, we should find out how exactly they’re coming up with these numbers to make sure we’re not being manipulated,” he said.
“They’re telling us that it will save us all in taxes, but for the people of upstate New York and the local community, it will only hurt us,” Lashway said.
Libous said that the reduction in the number of beds and the “considerable down sizing” of the camp has made it increasingly difficult to keep it open. That, combined with the state’s 20 percent revenue loss in the wake of the Wall Street collapse, has threatened closure at a greater level than previously encountered, he said.
“We’ll take a very serious look at it and work with the unions and put a plan to together. It’s very important to the Chenango County community,” Libous said.
Lashway said the camp has more than 90 employees and the 49 officers at the facility make on average $52,000 a year and are offered retirement, medical and dental benefits.
Other camps targeted for closure include Georgetown in Madison County, Gabriels in Franklin County and Mt. McGregor in Saratoga County. The DOCS says all three camps are estimated to be below half their prisoner capacity.
“People continue to rally around us and I’ve had people come up to me in the community and say it’s a shame that they just keep coming after us like this,” said Lashway.
Pharsalia inmates do roughly 78,000 hours of community service and maintenance work for state government and local organizations that translates into $940,000 worth of work a year, according to Commerce Chenango statistics gathered in April.
They estimated that the county’s economy would take a hit of over $13 million if Camp Pharsalia were to eventually close.
These numbers, however, have not been adjusted in the wake of the facility’s November closure of an additional dorm.