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Closing Green Bay's Prison Without a Replacement
Gov. Evers’ plan to close the Green Bay Correctional Institute is not going to be in the next state budget, but that doesn’t mean the idea is dead.
Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, and Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, on Thursday said there’s broad agreement at the Capitol to move on from Green Bay, but no one has quite yet agreed how.
“The governor put forth the plan that, at least, was a step in the right direction for him. For the first time. Because he recognized there’s a need in corrections. Especially on the capital side,” Born explained. “[That] there’s a need to close Green Bay Correctional, which he was never there before. So it's good that he's starting to recognize that. But the plan is Half Baked. It needs a lot of work.”
The governor’s plan would close the prison in Green Bay, which was built in 1898, but would not build a new replacement.
Instead, the governor wants to see a “domino effect” across Wisconsin’s other prisons. His plan also would turn the prison in Waupun into a “vocational village.”
Ultimately, Evers’ prison plan would release 700 people from state custody over the next two years.
“I think we all agree, most of us agree, that Green Bay needs to close. That's easy. That's the easy decision,” Marklein said.
Republicans have said they’d like to build a new prison to replace the facility in Green Bay. But that could cost more than $1 billion.
Born said there is plenty of time to talk about Green Bay’s future, and those conversations are coming.
“I think our caucuses will be working on it. And at some point, we'll probably be talking more with the governor's office,” Born added. “I've certainly had some conversations already with the Department of Corrections on it. But it's very much in progress. It's got a long way to go.”
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