Gov. David Paterson's town-hall appearance at the Syracuse Civic Center on Nov. 11 sparked much local interest. He rightly sounds the alarm on the monumental task of eliminating present deficit state spending and in the next few years. The issue that I submitted in advance for discussion focused on our state prisons. As we look for ways to cut government expenses and also “green” our environment, our vast prison system should not be ignored.

In many state prison sites, reinstituting vegetable or diary farms could provide food for the inmates and even perhaps their immediate neighbors. Composting, recycling and other energy saving approaches are proving successful in Oregon and Washington by involving inmates in constructive efforts. The greenhouse model at Jamesville Correctional Facility could also be utilized in several of our state prisons, if some creative thinking were allowed.

Many of these “greening” ideas could assist in teaching inmates important life skills. If their various ideas and suggestions were honored in planning processes, remarkable savings could occur. An Associated Press article from Washington state mentions that inmates from a minimum-security facility raise bees, grow organic tomatoes and lettuce, as well as compost 100 percent of food waste. As one administrator commented, “it reduces cost, reduces our damaging impact on the environment, engages inmates as students and it's good security.” In one prison facility in that northwestern state 8,000 pounds of organic vegetables were raised this year.

At an Oregon prison, inmates recycle scraps from old prison blues to make diaper bags for women's shelters and dog beds for animal shelters. It seems there is no lack of possibilities, if inmates take an interest in the work.

One other suggestion for our governor: encourage merit time legislation giving more incentives to inmates, easing the stress on corrections officers and reducing the number of inmates at a faster rate. A merit system has often been proposed, but up to the present has garnered little interest from the majority of state legislators. The current pieces of legislation on this issue are A-3230 in the Assembly, and S-1701 in the Senate.

With the fiscal crisis upon us, it's time for some serious consideration of our immense state prison system, heavily populated by our black and Latino brothers and sisters. This moral dilemma now includes a financial and ecological dimension that cries out for recognition.

Frank Woolever

Syracuse