“The proposed state plan to build a new correctional facility is tone deaf. We don’t have enough staff to fill our current needs. We have many closed and standby-status facilities throughout the state that could reopen rather than wasting a projected nearly one billion dollars on a brand new facility. We still have national guard members in facilities because the state cannot fill correction officer roles. We still have widespread safety concerns and hazardous work conditions for the correction officers and civilians within the active facilities. This is where investment needs to be made.”

“I have reached out to the Governor to call for resources to be invested in safety measures for correction officers, civilian staff and their host communities. New York needs to reevaluate its priorities.”