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Like many other Arizonans, the Town of Florence watched Governor Ducey’s State of the State Address today with great anticipation. Much to our surprise, during this Address the Governor announced the closure of the Florence State Prison.
The Town is startled by this sudden announcement but is committed to work closely with our colleagues at the State, in the State Legislature, at Pinal County, and with our partners at our local correctional facilities to better understand the impacts of this decision and to strive to find a solution that is appropriate for our community, our residents, and the many employees that call Florence home for eight to twelve hours per day.
We are concerned for our residents, who for so many years have shouldered the burdens and stigmas associated with being called a “prison town.” Without legislative action, resources currently used in the community could dry up and could radically change this historic community and the county seat of the state’s fastest growing county. Preliminary estimates on impact show that the Town could lose up to 3,600 prisoners and hundreds of permanent jobs upon the closure of the facility. The loss of these residents and their associated revenue could equate to a $1.3 million direct impact on Town services (or about 13% of its total state-shared revenue). To a rural community like ours, this is not inconsequential.
Despite the sticker shock of this announcement, the Town is committed to working with our colleagues in Phoenix to maximize the use of the Pinal County Jail (which currently uses only 1/3 of its 1,500-bed capacity), GEO Group facilities, and CoreCivic facilities in town and to minimize the loss of residents by carefully studying any viable option. Should new facilities be desired, Florence has available land that is zoned and planned for this type of use.
The Florence State Prison is a historic landmark and is woven into the very fabric of Florence. Its tower is proudly and prominently featured on our Town Logo and official seal. If closure of the complex is imminent, the State should make investments in the property that could open opportunities for the complex to be used for tourism and museum purposes, similar to those investments the State made in the Yuma Territorial Prison.
We take great pride in the partnerships we have developed at the Florence State Prison, and in the programming and beautification efforts that originate behind its walls but radiate throughout the region. Within the Florence State Prison, you can find Arizona Correctional Industries (ACI) – a fabulous asset where tens of millions of dollars of industrial, commercial and residential products are made and distributed to Arizona establishments each year. The Arizona Wild Horse and Burro Training and Holding Facility trains wild horses and burros that Arizonans can adopt. The Florence Fish Farm raises tilapia and catfish on a commercial scale. ACI Ranch cultivates nearly 450 acres of land in Florence, and regularly harvests a variety of forage crops. Inmate labor is used around the region to help beautify streets and maintain landscaping. We simply cannot afford to suddenly flip a switch and allow these programs to disappear from our region.
In his speech today, the Governor referenced “The Arizona Way.” The Arizona Way means taking care of all our residents – not just our prisoners, but also the rural communities in which they live and the jobs which they support. The Arizona Way is a collaborative approach that brings together parties to overcome difficult challenges. We fully agree with the Governor’s parting words from the State of the State address this afternoon. “Let’s demonstrate we can get things done…. That we can govern, and that we can do it together. It’s how we do things here. It’s the Arizona Way.”