Capitol Retort: Workers' wish, Barr confirmed, Super Bore.

Byline: Kevin Featherly

Editor's note: Welcome to Capitol Retort, our weekly review of issues in state and national news, with a rotating cast of legal and political people in the know. Answers are edited for length and clarity. Any instances of agreement are accidental.

Question 1: Union leaders say that, to run Stillwater prison safely with the programming inmates need to transition home, 121 workers are needed 30 for unfilled positions plus 91 new officers. Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell says his forthcoming budget request will focus on "what's reasonable." Given all that's happened, how close will lawmakers come to granting workers' wishes?

Amy Koch, former Senate majority leader: That is one where you've got to trust the Department of Corrections to work with the management at the prison and the employees to figure out what's needed. Clearly, something more is needed. And it is certainly in the public's safety interest, which makes it a legitimate use of taxpayer money. So we've got to figure it out.

Overall prison reform and a discussion on the number of prisons needed in the state of Minnesota, we need to stop ignoring that problem. It's not just a funding issue for Stillwater. This is a big problem that DOC, the community and the industry needs to tackle.

Warren Limmer, Senate Judiciary committee chairman: We'll be carefully analyzing corrections in our budget process that's starting in this first year in the biennium. And we'll be paying special attention to the staffing needs of the corrections department. We'll also be analyzing national averages of other facilities similar to Minnesota's, to get a bearing on what's the most important number. And we'll be keeping the deaths of two corrections officers [Joseph Gomm and Joe Parise] last year in mind as we make these decisions.

The other thing I might want to add is that the Department of Corrections has an opportunity right now, under the existing budget from two years ago, to find 80 corrections officer staff additions [statewide]. So the question comes up: What have they done in order to fill the 80 vacancies that, as of now, still remain unfulfilled? Does that mean we should examine the whole benefits package of an entry-level corrections officer? That also will be considered in the budget process this year.

Pete Orput, Washington County attorney: I'm optimistic this year. I handle all the prison prosecutions out of those places [the Stillwater and Oak Park Heights...

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