The Florida Department of Corrections is hoping the Florida Legislature will give them back about $11 million that was taken out of its budget when lawmakers planned to privatize about 30 prisons in South Florida. The department made its legislative budget requests for the next fiscal year Wednesday.
When the Republican-led Florida Legislature aimed to privatize about 30 South Florida prisons, they projected it would provide a 7-percent cost savings. Since the effort failed to get off the ground, the Florida Department of Corrections wants the money to be put back in its budget.
“We’re just asking for the restoration of the 7-percent savings, which was $10.8 million. When they cut our budget the previous year, and the privatization didn’t move forward, we did not get restored the seven-percent,” said Mark Tallent, the department’s Director of Budget and Finance.
Tallent says the Legislature has the option to try to privatize the state’s prisons in South Florida again. But, for now, the department is focused on moving forward on an effort to privatize the state’s health care services.
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