tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post7496822545520093169..comments2024-03-15T05:45:01.402-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Will stimulus money let Texas boost prison guard pay?Gritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-47233257363286562202009-03-26T13:29:00.000-05:002009-03-26T13:29:00.000-05:00When Texas jails are full of first non-violent off...When Texas jails are full of first non-violent offenders that are serving more than the minimum sentence for their crimes, it is no wonder there is a financial problem. If those inmates were all turned loose after serving the minimum time for their crimes you would not have guard or housing issues.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-17342558212629754642009-03-01T12:07:00.000-06:002009-03-01T12:07:00.000-06:00PRIA Act violations and prison safety issues are e...PRIA Act violations and prison safety issues are enough reasons to justify increases in officer pay. A few years ago Federal oversight cost Texas tax payers BILLIONS. $456 million is a small price to pay to address prison safety issues before the Feds do. <BR/><BR/>Federal PRIA oversight will cost Texans billions. The Feds don't care how bad your states economy is right now, just look at California with Federal inmate health care oversight. California is 8 billion dollars more in the hole and is being forced to release thousands of inmate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-64652681998325309372009-02-28T18:42:00.000-06:002009-02-28T18:42:00.000-06:00Why not let all those who have been paroled go hom...Why not let all those who have been paroled go home? That would lessen the load and then those who are elgible for parole, also get their hearings and stop the BPP from making rules up as they go.If a person is paroled, release them ASAP and stop playing stupid games. Forget the FI rules, they make no sense.<BR/><BR/>That is one department that needs to be re-done or eliminated. Some of those on boards have not experience and lets not even get started regarding Shandra Perkins!<BR/><BR/>If the Senate approves her, everyone should run everyone who votes for her out of Texas right behind the Gov.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-39711273468918335382009-02-28T09:10:00.000-06:002009-02-28T09:10:00.000-06:00See Dewhurst: "All money is fungible."If the feds ...See Dewhurst: "All money is fungible."<BR/><BR/>If the feds pay for health or school costs that free up money in the budget for guard pay, it's all the same.<BR/><BR/>They can get around the legalities, IMO. The question is whether the Lege <I>should</I> raise pay. Bottom line: If they want to make it happen, the stimulus money makes it possible whereas it wasn't just a few weeks ago.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-64855029523623229362009-02-28T09:02:00.000-06:002009-02-28T09:02:00.000-06:00It is supplanting because the Legislature has budg...It is supplanting because the Legislature has budgeted and created the positions and a pay scale has been established for these positions. <BR/><BR/>The legislature has money to fund the positions at the established rates of pay or they would have not budgeted them.<BR/><BR/>What the state does not have is or says it does not have is money for guard pay raises.<BR/><BR/>The federal monies can only be used to create new positions and pay for these positions, not to give pay raises for positions that already exist.<BR/><BR/>In addition, state and local governments are required to submit a plan as to how newly created positions will be retained.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-51804893023437256022009-02-28T08:33:00.000-06:002009-02-28T08:33:00.000-06:00Interesting ... looking at the Byrne grant require...Interesting ... looking at the Byrne grant requirements in the solicitation to states, I found a federal definition of "supplanting," at least for Byrne funds: "Federal funds must be used to supplement existing funds for program activities and cannot replace, or supplant, nonfederal funds that have been appropriated for the same purpose."<BR/><BR/>By that definition, is it "supplanting" to increase pay for guards ABOVE levels "that have been appropriated" in the past?Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-60801378974466467212009-02-28T07:59:00.000-06:002009-02-28T07:59:00.000-06:00What I canNOT understand- -last pay raise, the vet...What I canNOT understand- -last pay raise, the vetreans got NOTHING- -only officers that had been there a year(or two) less got a raise- -any vetreans got NOTHING- -now they (tdc) is not sure they can give the vetrens a raise AGAIN?<BR/>Excuse me, the vetreans should be the ones that DO get the raise- -we have stayed through all this, train the "new boots" actually "run" the units- -and tdc is basically saying "screw you if you stay"- -what's wrong with this picture?<BR/>Anyone over a CO3 should get the biggest raise, we didn't get one before, it was given to the ones a CO3 and UNDER!<BR/>Seems TDC just wants INexperience officers so they do not have to pay retirement and what all.<BR/> I'M NOT IMPRESSED!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-42775543326014667232009-02-28T05:28:00.000-06:002009-02-28T05:28:00.000-06:00Correctional Officers pay is 47th out of the 50 st...Correctional Officers pay is 47th out of the 50 states! Being the second largest prison system in the country this is absurd. CO's deserve the raise plus some!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-75608844304854617802009-02-27T21:16:00.000-06:002009-02-27T21:16:00.000-06:00Release all of the nonviolent offenders, leave onl...Release all of the nonviolent offenders, leave only those who are violent. If this were to happen we probably would not need as many guards.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-16765185724700358002009-02-27T10:37:00.000-06:002009-02-27T10:37:00.000-06:00"That wouldn't be a one-time expenditure but somet..."That wouldn't be a one-time expenditure but something the Lege would be committing taxpayers to pay for ad infinitum."<BR/><BR/><BR/>If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeepās gonna be your downfall.<BR/><BR/>TX JakeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-79816341614150109412009-02-27T08:59:00.000-06:002009-02-27T08:59:00.000-06:00"how do you my friend use this money to give someo..."how do you my friend use this money to give someone a pay raise who has a job when in theory the money is supposed to be used to create jobs?"<BR/><BR/>I'm not "proposing" anything, just raising the question.<BR/><BR/>But in response to your point about job creation, I suppose the argument would be 1) the main purpose of the raises is to fill more than 2,000 empty guard slots, and 2) just like with food stamps, increasing pay for low-wage workers actually has a relatively stimulative effect because they're likely to spend the money, not save it.<BR/><BR/>As to "supplanting," these raises were proposed by the state before the stimulus was announced, so they could argue they were going to find a way to do it anyway (whether true or not).<BR/><BR/>I'm not saying that's what <I>should</I> happen. But if guard pay hikes are going to happen, my point is that this is the only way it <I>can</I> happen.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.texasmonthly.com/blogs/burkablog/?p=2879" REL="nofollow">As Lt. Gov. Dewhurst said</A>, all money is "fungible."Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-82624920135688872542009-02-27T08:35:00.000-06:002009-02-27T08:35:00.000-06:00Granted these employees are underpaid, but how do ...Granted these employees are underpaid, but how do you my friend use this money to give someone a pay raise who has a job when in theory the money is supposed to be used to create jobs?<BR/><BR/>How do you justify giving money to one group of criminal justice employees when there are others who are just as deserving make less than TDCJ guards, like county jailers?<BR/><BR/>What you propose amounts to supplanting, which according to the guidelines, is not allowed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com