Governor John Baldacci's proposed takeover of county jails is a bad idea for taxpayers, inmates, and everyone else, area legislators were told last week.

Members of the Lincoln and Sagadahoc Jail Authority met October 18 with members of the 123 rd Legislature which included: Paula Benoit, Woolwich; Jonathan McKane, Newcastle; Carol Grose, Woolwich; Elizabeth Miller, Somerville; Wendy Pieh, Bremen; Bruce MacDonald, Boothbay; Kerri Prescott, Topsham; and Thomas Watson, Bath.

Lincoln County Commissioner William Blodgett told the lawmakers the proposal would be a "major shift of cost to the property taxpayers. The state may see a savings, but the savings the state will see will come at a cost to the taxpayers."

Blodgett was referring to the continued expense of the two counties (Lincoln and Sagadahoc) paying for the next 23 years on a facility they do not own (the county paid for the jail by issuing 25-year bonds), the additional cost of transporting inmates to facilities outside the county, and the counties' loss of community corrections funding. The cost of the jail was $24. 5 million.

Sagadahoc Sheriff Mark Westrum said he is concerned that there is no mention in the governor's plan of funding to continue the alternative sentencing programs.

Westrum said the loss of these programs will add 70-80 inmates from Lincoln and Sagadahoc who would have to be incarcerated. This would add to the overcrowded situation the state is already dealing with, as well as increase the money the state would have to pay to cover boarding these inmates. Westrum said the alternative programs have also been helpful in cutting back on the number of repeat offenders.

The state's plan doesn't include money to transport inmates. The counties or local police departments will be required to provide that service.

The state's plan is to have Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset become a mental health facility and to house inmates from Waldo County. The Lincoln and Sagadahoc inmates would go to another jail. Westrum said this would create more of a hardship on the families of inmates. Also, the two counties would still be required to transport the inmates back and forth for appointments.

Jail Administrator Wayne Applebee told the legislators the governor's plan is especially devastating to Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties because it was built bigger than current needs in order to take prisoners from other counties, thereby generating revenue. In 2007-2008 the projected revenue from this source is $1.4 million, with $2 million projected for the following year.

"That would all be lost and the counties would still be paying the debt service for the jail," Applebee said.

The state is proposing a savings of $10 million the first year to the taxpayers with a combined jail system. However, according to members of the jail authority, this figure was determined before any research was done to determine the actual savings.

The state used the three years from 2004-2006 to show that the cost to run county jails grew by an average of 12 percent. Applebee pointed out that those were the years several counties were in the process of building new jails.

"You notice the state did not use the years they were in the process of building a new facility to determine they had increased by an average of six percent. They chose to use 2004-2006 the years that were high for some counties to make their comparison," Applebee said.

Sagadahoc County Commissioner Max Dobson told the legislators, that the Jail Authority had returned nearly $500,000 to the counties this year, each county receiving about $250,000 to help lower their county budgets.

"When was the last time the state returned any money to the taxpayers?" asked Westrum.

Lincoln County Administrator James McMahon spoke on the impact to Lincoln County's budget for 2008 if the governor's proposal was already law. As the proposal stands at the present time, Lincoln County taxpayers would be paying $3.9 million for the operation, capital and debt cost for the regional jail and an additional $209,000 for assumed loss of county correction funds.

Westrum told the legislators the state paid about $500,000 on two studies over the past three years to improve the efficiency of the Department of Corrections (DOC), but the state's plan does not take into consideration the findings of either of the two studies.

Pam Cahill, the lobbyist for the Maine County Commissioners Association and the Maine Sheriff's Association, told the legislators there is no question there is a need for improvement within the DOC, and they have all the information from these studies to make improvements.

"We have the information - let's use it," she said.

She also reported that the governor originally said the legislation to take over the county jails would be a single, bill; however, he now says the legislation will be included in the supplemental budget to be voted on in February 2008.

"This will make it hard for you (the legislators) because if you vote it down, you will be expected to come up with the $10 million shortage," Cahill said.

Republican State Representative Terri Prescott of Topsham said, "I can't believe that anyone in this room would vote for this plan. They (the state) have put the cart before the horse by projecting cost savings before doing the research. The unintentional consequences of this plan are insurmountable," she said,

"Who come up with this proposal anyway?" she asked.

According to Cahill, the decision to take over the county jails was apparently made quickly. It was within two or three days from the time she was told it was being considered to when she was told they were going forward with the plan.

Westrum said it was his opinion that "DOC Commissioner Magnusson, Associate DOC Commissioner Denise Lord, Commissioner of Human Services Brenda Harvey and Commissioner of Administration and Finance Rebecca Wyke are the ones that come up with the idea."

Applebee said the complete corrections systems needs to be looked at, not just the jail system. The courts, probation, and sentencing policies should also be looked at.

State Representative Bruce MacDonald said he was skeptical of the plan; however, he said he needs more information. He questioned the increase in county taxes in recent years.

"It isn't just the jail that has created the increase," Applebee said. "We to not put the inmates in jail, it is the criminal justice system, the judges, the courts, and probation system all contribute to the jail population, and the amount of time an inmate has to wait for a trail."

Applebee responded by saying there is an inmate at the jail who has been waiting for a trail date for several months; during this time he has been an expense to the county.

"It is not just the jail system that is costing taxpayers money - the whole system could stand some major improvements that could lower county taxes," Applebee said. "Sixty percent of our inmates are pre-trail inmates waiting for trail dates."

Cahill told the legislators an alternative plan had been presented to DOC, but she was told it was not "going anywhere." This plan, based on one of the two studies mentioned earlier, would establish a Joint State-County Corrections Authority based on the final report of the Corrections Alternative Advisory Committee's study (the cost for this study was $300,000).

The plan would bridge the gap between the various components of the county and state corrections, (court, probation, and sentencing) functions in order for them to work together for the best interests of the taxpayers, according to Cahill.

The benefits outlined in this plan include: "avoids the need to construct new correctional facilities; avoids the need for upwards of $100 million in state funds to take over and operate a county system which itself suffers from overcrowding in many areas of the state; ensures that all components of the system act in the best interest of all the people of Maine; and requires a demonstrated need, taking into consideration all parts of the system and not solely those of a small geographic region, before new correctional facilities can be constructed."

This plan also "ensures that the county and state maximize the use of alternatives to incarceration, consistent with best correctional practices and protection of public safety."

Several legislatures made suggestions to the jail authority, and asked to be kept updated on any information that they may receive.

Lincoln County Commissioner Sheridan Bond said, referring to the Two Bridges Regional Jail, "We built our house and we want to keep it."

Blodgett told the lawmakers, "Let your conscience be your guide,"