Sometimes good sense prevails. The House on Wednesday voted unanimously to move $10 million around in the budget in an effort to keep a Jefferson County prison open, acknowledging the hardship its closure would have on the rural community.
The House voted to approve an amendment that earmarks the money for the prison system with the idea that it will keep open Jefferson Correctional Institute, which would keep 177 jobs in a rural north Florida county where the prison is the largest employer.
When the House voted by voice vote in favor of the amendment, residents of the tiny county next door to the capital area, who were already standing in the gallery during debate on the issue, erupted in cheers.
“I realize that we need to close some prisons, we have too many prison beds,” said Rep. Leonard Bembry, D-Greenville, who represents many of the prison employees. “But the human cost … is going to be unbearable,” if that particular prison closes.
The Department of Corrections announced recently that it would find cost savings by closing 11 prison facilities around the state including Jefferson C.I., near Monticello.
