43 days ago
SACRAMENTO, CA - In the wake of one of the worst budget crisis since the Great Depression, the California Department of Corrections is spending more than $1 million to build playgrounds at 18 prisons across the state.
The playgrounds are to be located at visitor centers. In some cases, the projects will rebuild existing playgrounds which need to be replaced.
News10 has obtained documents soliciting bids to construct the playgrounds at a cost of $1.5 million.
"It's a frivolous expense at a time of fiscal crisis," said Lew Uhler from the National Tax Limitation Committee.
The Department of Corrections justifies the expense.
"The whole idea is to improve the child's interaction with their families and with law enforcement," said Paul Verpe from the California Department of Corrections. " We want this experience to be as positive as possible."
Attorney General Jerry Brown criticized the Department of Corrections last winter for spending $8 billion to improve inmate health care by building so-called hollistic health care facilities, complete with yoga rooms.
News10/KXTV
