By Gina Holt
Enquirer contributor

BURLINGTON - Gov. Paul Patton's plan to cut state spending by letting some state prisoners out of jail early has some area county officials worried. About a million dollars worried.

As the state faces a $500 million budget deficit, one of the proposals floated by Mr. Patton is to allow certain state prisoners, including Class D felons, out of 64 county jails that house them as overflow, and which get $28 a day for overflow prisoners.

Boone County officials estimate the loss of prisoners at about $1 million a year.

Ed Prindle, Boone County jailer, said it would have a tremendous impact on the budget.

"We're looking at a loss of about $400,000 in our budget from the per diem plus the equivalent of about $600,000 in free labor," said Mr. Prindle. "We'd be looking at $1 million loss for Boone County over the course of a year."

Not only does the county receive money from the state to house the prisoners but it also uses the inmates in the work program that provides free labor such as picking up trash, mowing county grass and helping around the parks.

Class D felonies include some theft charges, some drug use and possession charges, nonpayment of child support and DUI.

Letting prisoners out early is just one of the governor's proposals, which also include a moratorium on state contracts and a cut in state jobs.

"From what I've seen from the (governor's budget-cutting) proposals to date, none of it affects Boone County except for the issue about the jail inmates," said Boone County Judge-executive Gary Moore. "The county relies on the revenue from the state prisoners and federal prisoners to help us operate our jail in a more economical manner."

Lisa Carnahan, director of communications for the Kentucky Department of Corrections, said nothing has been finalized.

No sex offenders or prisoners whose crimes would prohibit them from early release by statute such as a fourth DUI would be released, she said.

Greg Buckler, Campbell County jailer, said the proposals would leave Campbell County in a similar situation, minus cash and minus labor.

"The governor's talking about letting some of the class D felons go out," he said adding the county counts on $230,000 per year from the state to house the inmates.

"We do not house that many Class Ds. It would only affect about 14 inmates but those 14 inmates are the ones we have working that's providing free labor to us and other nonprofit organizations. We saved these agencies that we provide free labor for about $50,000 last year."

Majority Caucus Chairman James Callahan, D-Wilder, said the state has to find a way to save money.

"I have no idea how it will affect the counties," said Mr. Callahan. "I think there has to be a lot more discussed before it becomes a reality. If the flip side of that is we're taking money away from our local facilities then we have to rethink what we're talking about."

In addition to financial concerns, county officials are concerned about public safety and the message releasing prisoners sends.

"I disagree with letting them go wholeheartedly," said Mr. Buckler. "They were punished and given time by the court. They ought to be in jail for the time the court deemed necessary. What's going to happen if one of these inmates goes out and commits a serious crime? I don't agree with releasing them to the streets."

Mr. Prindle agrees saying most of the Class D felon inmates are in their early 20s and benefit from the structure of the county work program as well as the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and other rehabilitation classes offered.

"He (Mr. Patton) was discussing possibly releasing state prisoners from jail," said Mr. Moore. "I don't believe the public is going to accept that very well."

The prisoners are those who would be sent to state penitentiaries, which are themselves crowded beyond capacity.

Kenton County also houses overflow state prisoners. No Kenton officials were available for comment Friday afternoon.

Ms. Carnahan said the governor does not have a timeline for the budget cuts but does plan to make a decision very soon.

The General Assembly will take up the budget issue in its session that begins in January. The legislature failed to pass a budget by a June deadline and the state has been operating on a provisional spending plan since then.