News » September 3, 2003

Davis’ Downfall

Prison spending bloats California’s budget

By Van Jones

Despite everything, California’s recall race is moving at full speed.

Despite Gov. Gray Davis’ appeal to Democrats not to run against him. Despite his assertion that the recall is a Florida-style conspiracy by Republicans to “steal elections [they] can’t win.” Even despite attempts to push back voting day. A federal court ruled against the ACLU’s request to postpone the election until March, when six counties, including Los Angeles and San Diego, will have finally upgraded from the faulty punch-card voting system.

But whoever wins the October 7th election will also inherit a $38.2 billion deficit and the worst credit rating of any state in the nation.

How did California get here? Many blame the current crisis on the collapse of the technology boom, the energy crisis, and national economic downturn. But that’s only part of the picture.

Davis’ own misguided spending and policy priorities are as big a reason as any for California’s current troubles. A brief look at Davis’ budget, signed in early August, shows how he has sold California’s future down the river.

Davis has slashed just about every state-funded program, including education, health care, and workforce development. But one institution seems to be immune from the epidemic belt-tightening: prisons. With just a one percent overall reduction, the Department of Corrections’ budget remains almost completely intact.

Some areas of the prison budget even get a big boost—mostly luxuries for the department bureaucracy and for prison employees. Davis makes up the difference by gutting health care, educational and vocational programs, drug rehabilitation, and other services for inmates.

Why would prisons escape Davis’ ruthless budget axe? Just follow the paper trail.

Davis has accepted $3.4 million in campaign contributions from the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA)—the state’s prison guards’ union—for his two gubernatorial campaigns in ’98 and ’02. The union gave Davis the largest single check he has ever received from a group—$251,000. And Davis is repaying them many times over.

Despite pay hikes in 1998, 1999, and 2000, Davis has approved raising the average prison guard salary even more— to a whopping $73,428 by 2006. That will cost taxpayers an extra $120 million this year. By 2006, the annual price tag will be about $700 million.

And because Davis is paying for this raise by mortgaging California’s future, the long-term costs are even greater. Between cutting programs he should bolster and ignoring others that could save millions, Davis is burning California’s bridges to a safe, deficit-free tomorrow.

To finance this unnecessary and exorbitant prison guard pay raise, Davis is cutting prison literacy and vocational programs. These are some of the only programs proven to reduce recidivism. Cutting them means more crime — and more taxpayer dollars spent locking up repeat offenders.

Davis could save money and make California safer by investing in alternatives to incarceration. Alternatives like job training and placement, drug treatment and mental health, and social service programs have been proven to reduce crime and reduce cost. These alternatives are cheaper and safer for everybody: the state, the community, and the offender.

But Davis isn’t interested in keeping California safe or out of the red. He only cares about pandering to special interests like the prison guards’ union.

That’s why prison guards are getting pay raises while teachers across the state are getting pink slips. That’s why youth programs are closing their doors and violence prevention programs are shutting down shop. That’s why parks and recreation, daycare centers, and public health programs are all hemorrhaging. That’s why California is in crisis and turmoil. Disaster is hard to avoid with a governor who will sell out the state for a few million dollars in campaign contributions.

California politics are more than just a sensational news story, a drama worthy of daytime television. As the nation turns its eyes toward the Golden State, it should see not only headlines and lead stories, but a cautionary tale.

Incarceration is one of the biggest and fastest growing industries of the 21st century. Prison lobbies, like the CCPOA, have become extremely powerful. The CCPOA alone has spent at least $9.6 million since 1998 putting politicians like Gray Davis in its pocket. Similar lobbies are active at every level of government, across the country.

As the national economy continues to struggle, every state will be looking to make significant and difficult cuts. If California teaches us anything, it is that, before states cut valuable programs, they should cut their strings to the prison lobbies. Otherwise, they may follow California’s disastrous lead into crisis and turmoil.

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• Reader Comments

  This is a very enlightening story.  Most Californians do NOT know this truth.

  Posted by Rahel on Sep 6, 2003 at 6:51 PM

  Mr. Jones appears to be a reationary idot.  First, who would want to work in a prison while living in California for less that $50,000 per year?  The system itself did not come about on its own, it growth is directly attributable to the voter of this state, their fears and their racism.  Natually, the “prison guards” union has become powerful and influential, dummy, it does not work any other way! 

  Posted by Clark Gomez on Sep 6, 2003 at 7:32 PM

  The real problem is Davis’s and most of our politiciains refusal to address mass illegal immigration which has caused a huge drain on the states ( and countrys) budgets.
  When states like California pay for free education, health care and other services for millions of illegals
  ( whom pay zero or minimal taxes)
  then the rest of the taxpayers pick up the tab. I have nothing against the immigrants. Instead I have a problem with the overwhelming volume of immigrants and the impacts of politically inept policies that DOES divert monies from programs to help American elderley, vets and poor of all races and creeds.

  Posted by chet polwin on Sep 9, 2003 at 2:11 AM

  Well Chet, I think you do have a problem with immigrants; studies show that most immigrants pay taxes but they sure are a handy target ‘cause, lets face it, they’re different from us great americans - no, the real problem is that politicians pander to special interests because they think it will ensure their re-election…‘cause that’s what’s reeeeelly important..not the needs of the vets, elderly or poor…when will Americans wake up to the fact that their democracy has been bought lock,stock and barrel by the fat ole rich piggys that call themselves fancy names like lobbiests and compassionate conservatives and the like. Class warfare? It’s been a reality in this country for decades! That Davis is held to a different standard than the rest of the fattened sows is telling in itself-he challenged the Energy Companies and whoa, low and behold , someone(a republican someone) starts a recall bid. Does he deserve to get booted out-probably-anyone who makes a profit off prisons is very close to pond scum in my book, especially at the expence of other programs that could make(and have made) a real difference in peoples’ lives.

  Posted by Kate on Sep 11, 2003 at 8:19 AM

  Kate,

  No I dont have a problem with immigrants ( unless they are terrorists or criminals) . In fact, the ones I have worked with are all hard working people, trying to do the best they can. My problem is with the incredible VOLUME off illegals and legals. I agree some are paying taxes BUT most of the illegals do not. The USA Today reported that 1 in 5 of recent immigrants get governmental cash assistance. When one considers that there are between 38 and 52 million in this country we are talking huge dollars tat are diverted from programs designed for needy Americans, including the relatively new naturalized citizens. Kate dollars are finite and when you consider this factor and the mandated free education and healtcare for millions of illegals, the cost is staggering. The sad part of this whole mess… is the very folks you despise are the ones capitalizing on this issue as they are able to get cheap labor and keep the wage scale for the poorest Americans. Seems to me many of us limit the size of our families based on econmic factors, the government doesnt. They keep adding millions each year t the american family knowing the costs to existing americans to provide services will be huge. Like you say, they pander to lobbyist, voting blocks and special interests no matter the repercussions on American taxpayers.

  Posted by chet polwin on Sep 11, 2003 at 10:33 PM

• extended discussion >>>Continued...

  Discussions with more than 5 comments are continued on our special discussion page to encourage continuity and ease of use. There are currently 7 posts.

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