Don't give away our public safety tax dollars to shady corporate interests!

 The Michigan House of Representatives is expected to vote any day on legislation - HB 5174 and HB 5177, which amounts to nothing more than a giveaway to one corporation.  The proposal doesn't make good sense for Michigan taxpayers. It would allow a private prison in Lake County owned by the GEO Corporation to house state prisoners, even though their track record is abysmal.

This same company operated this same prison 7 years ago, and the state Auditor General found that it was one of the most expensive prisons to operate in the state. The GEO company is hardly deserving of this political giveaway. Their dismal track record in the prison industry includes a history of mismanagement, lawsuits for mistreatment of prisoners, waste, fraud and a failure to fulfill terms of contracts. Putting state prisoners in this private prison is a waste of taxpayers' money.

Now isn't the time for another prison, especially one with such a shameful history. The demand for prison space is declining.  According to the Michigan Department of Corrections, Michigan has the fewest number of prisoners since 1998.  If we put prisoners in the GEO facility, we’ll probably have to close a state prison, sticking the taxpayers with an empty building and leaving more Michiganders looking for work.

Key legislators need to hear from you on this reckless legislation. Putting state prisoners in this private prison is a waste of taxpayers' money.  Urge key legislators to vote “No” on HB 5174 and 5177.