The House version of the budget is headed toward a floor vote this weekend, after hearings over the weekend. And one proposal in the budget surprised even some members of the committee – a plan to allow county jails to be operated by private companies. Gov. John Kasich’s budget includes the sale of five state prisons, but the House version of the budget expands that to allow county jails to be privatized too. Jay McDonald, the head of the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, says that’s a horrible idea.
Jay McDonald says, "It is a swindle on the tax payer. Quite frankly, the government out to hold a monopoly on the use of force."
The Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association says while the change may be designed to help counties deal with state cuts in funding for jails, such a dramatic change in policy should be given careful consideration.