MADISON, WI (WTAQ) – Representative David Steffen’s bill to close Green Bay Correctional Institution and open a new facility elsewhere in Northeast Wisconsin moves forward.
A Thursday hearing has been scheduled in front of the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Technology, and Consumer Protection.
With the measure already having gotten an Assembly Committee hearing in May, Steffen hopes this will pave the way to get a vote on both house floors, with the measure eventually ending up on Governor Walker’s desk.
“We are running out of time. The Legislature will be closing down early in 2018 so we really have about 10-12 weeks to get this across the goal line. It’s an uphill battle. The future is uncertain for this Legislative session, but this issue is not going away.”
Steffen says closing the 119-year-old facility would do more than just give the Village of Allouez the opportunity to generate $80-million dollars in new economic development on the 50 acres of land, an argument he plans to make Thursday.
“It would be saving the state of Wisconsin $150-million dollars over the next ten years, in addition to providing greater opportunities for recidivism reduction.”
In addition to hesitancy from moving away from something that has been in place for more than a century, Steffen notes the other major concern he’s heard regarding his proposal is the creation of a public/private partnership, in which the new prison would be privately constructed and owned.
“This would be owned by the private sector, but it would be staffed by our Department of Corrections staff. We still control all parts of the facility. We just don’t own it.”
As for where the new facility would be located, Steffen says Kewaunee County and the cities of Algoma and Luxemburg have expressed interest.
Thursday’s hearing is set for 10 am in room 300 Southeast in the state capitol building.
