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A couple of weeks back, Nicole Porter at Texas Prison Bid’ness took note of the state’s impending budget shortfall and concluded that, more than likely, it’ll result in the closing of some private prisons and jails. Sure, but which ones? Well, writes our old pal Scott Henson today over at Grits for Breakfast, just maybe the Jesse R. Dawson State Jail on Commerce Street, operated by Corrections Corporation of America, could wind up on the chopping block. It would certainly make sense: According to a list Scott got from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the state’s contract with Dawson expires January 15, 2011.
But more to the point, the city would like that sumbitch moved, as it stands in the way of Trinity River Corridor Project development. Writes Scott:
The fact that Dawson’s contract ends on January 15, 2011 is a significant date for the city of Dallas: If the state renews the contract, the proposed riverfront redevelopment could be put on hold indefinitely. It’s possible, then, we may see members of the Dallas delegation and related development interests pushing for non-renewal, though certainly CCA will have its own lobbyists on the other side.
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