HB 2010 signed into Law by Governor Brewer.
The doors were pushed open today at 0940 hours when Governor Brewer signed into Law HB 2010, the criminal justice budget reconciliation bill. This bill includes a version of the introduced “Privatization of Department of Corrections Health Services” as well as Lease Purchase of Prison and other State Owned Properties in addition to a “Private Vendor Concession agreement” for our State’s Public Safety facilities. Bidding Starts at $100,000,000.00 for a Piece of an expected 1.4 Billion dollar Budget next year.
We can all envision the Staples Center expanding to the Staples Grand Canyon in the future, as well as a number of bidders vying for one or more of our Prison facilities at a low percentage buy in, Corporations like GEO, Wackenhut, CCA and MTC can possibly finally see a return of their investments of many years of Political Contributions. (http://www.followthemoney.org/)
While only AZCPOA lobbied against the measure, ACA Executives Glen Conlon and Jim Christy were active in meetings planning their own futures, (http://correctionsassociation.org/) and promising change in order to gain membership. The promises are empty and only succeeded in dividing our voices to a whisper, the original effort of both when they tried to topple AZCPOA with the aid of Lobbyist Lu Ebratt and destroy the AZCPOA Union’s powerful voice on behalf of private corporations. AZCPOA was successful, however, in seeing some degree of mitigation, from the original formatted bill, including the elimination of the prescribed 50 year concession term.
AZCPOA is dedicated to seeing this newly signed bill minimized to no threat before it sees maturity, and we’ll need your help. On a Local Level, please contact your Local Chapter Leaders and work just two hours per week, assisting with internal issues, voter registrations and of course, ground work for the Next Elections Candidates supporting Public, not Corporate Safety. Ask your neighbors what they think their safety is worth.