My Argument Against Moving the Draper Prison

Dear state representative:

Would that you would not vote for SB72.

I don't like SB72 because it calls for the new prison to be a private one. Private enterprise is wonderful, but that doesn't mean we should drag it into everything, sometimes going where it might do more harm than good.

I don't like it because it is a spending bill. With a $600 million price tag, it is definitely a spending bill.

I don't like it because it calls for federal money. Uncle Sam is broke. He owes his creditors $16.5 trillion. At a time like now, why run his bill up higher?

I don't like it because once that land is sold into private hands, it is gone. You can't ask it back should you as a state come across a good public use for what some say is the best situated land in all Utah.

I do not like SB72 because once the prison is moved, there will not likely ever be a chance to locate it so close to services again. The central location is lost. There may be disadvantages to having a prison in the heart of our population, but there are also advantages. Foremost, it is close to volunteers. The volunteers serving at our prison give it much advantage as they act as roll models and help reform the prisoners. Second, the Draper site is closer to courts, medical facilities, lawyers and other services. The cost of transporting prisoners not being cheap, I cannot understand how it is being argued it will be less expensive to operate it in Delta or Tooele.

Perhaps the move will create 40,000 jobs, but please at least question that claim before you accept it. Is that count simply a count of how many jobs will occupy the site once it is developed? If the land is not developed, is there not reason to believe the jobs will simply go to another location here in the Salt Lake and Utah counties area?

And, the dollar figure that is being attached to suggest how much this will benefit us, how much of it is accounted for by businessmen realizing profits, and land values increasing for businessmen? It is great when private businessmen make a profit, and maybe consider doing this for them, but first weigh that against the value the site has for the state, and against the $600 million cost, and the additional debt to the federal government.  I suggest the balance of the scales is against selling the Draper site.

One argument for the prison move that does have some merit with me, is that the land, once in private hands, will generate tax revenues for the state. Even that should be tempered some, though. If corporate businesses are not given this site, but are forced to other sites, the land values of those locations might increase, and at least to some extent there will be additional tax revenue generated by them, also.