Republican State House leaders are raising concern about the one-time and on-going costs of a proposed men’s prison near Sioux Falls.
The panel is sending a bill authorizing construction to the budget setting committee to learn more.
The proposed Lincoln County Corrections center will cost the state no more than $825 million. But that cost doesn’t include construction of the road to get to the prison — the location which is in the middle of a cornfield 20 miles from the existing prison.
Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko said the 1,500-bed prison will help the corrections system with overcrowding.
“We have to level out the rest of our facilities. The goal is to be at 95 to 93 percent capacity so you can move offenders around as they progress and regress," Wasko said. "You want the conditions of their confinement to be consistent with the risk of their behavior.”
Systemwide, the corrections facilities are operating at 133 percent capacity.
Gov. Larry Rhoden said he believes the prison construction will get authorized this year. He describes the current men's prison as gothic and outdated.
It’s not just the cost to construct the facility that is giving come lawmakers' heartburn.
On Wednesday, they learned corrections officials anticipate operating the new prison will cost around $50 million annually. That’s up about $20 million from what it costs to operate the current men’s prison.
Rep. Marty Overweg is among House lawmakers sending the bill to House appropriations to learn more.
“We’ve talked a lot about where we’re going to build it. What size it should be. What we haven’t talked a lot about is how we’re going to pay to run it," Overweg said. "How are my grandchildren going to pay to run this thing. Maybe there’s a good answer. We have a committee for that, and it’s called appropriations.”
House lawmakers have until February 25 to vote whether to authorize construction. It’ll require 2/3rds approval. The state has until the end of March to move forward with the project at its current cost.
