11 People laid off from Yakima County Jail
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- More people are off the job at the Yakima County Jail and, more layoffs could be on the way. Jail costs climbed too high while fewer prisoners came through the door. Action News looked at whether the staff is being cut too thin for your safety.
The Yakima County Jail is down to bare bones on staffing. It has people worried about safety.
"More inmates could have riots and stuff like that,” said taxpayer Brandon Thwett. “You know less staff is less protection for other people."
Nine officers and two administrators were laid off this month. The cuts were made to help save a million-dollar shortfall in this year's jail budget.
"It makes me feel sad because I think we need the officers," said taxpayer Norma Mack.
The head of jail security wasn't allowed to speak on camera but insists the jail is still secure. Staffing is just at minimum requirements. The jail has been hurt by the expansion of other jails across the state.
It used to get money from other counties that didn't have room for all their prisoners. Yakima County would rent those beds, but those counties aren't sending their prisoners here as often and now the county is 18 million dollars short because of it.
"Why can't we get this money some other way,” asked Action News. “Is bed money really the only way we could make up for this?"
"We could raise taxes," said County Commissioner Mike Lieta.
But County Commissioners don't want to do that.
"Why don't we take some money from reserves and pay for this help this out a little bit so people can keep their jobs," asked Action News.
Yakima County Commisssioner Lieta said the county can only dip into reserve funds if they money can be paid back. It doesn't seem these beds will be bring in extra money any time soon putting more people out of work and fewer officers watching inmates.
But County Commissioners don't want to do that.
"Why don't we take some money from reserves and pay for this help this out a little bit so people can keep their jobs."
Yakima County Commisssioner Mike Lieda said the county can only dip into reserve funds if they money can be paid back. It doesn't seem these beds will be bring in extra money any time soon putting more people out of work and fewer officers watching inmates.
Yakima County plans to transfer three-million dollars from a road levy to help offset the loss at the jail.
The Yakima County Jail is down to bare bones on staffing. It has people worried about safety.
"More inmates could have riots and stuff like that,” said taxpayer Brandon Thwett. “You know less staff is less protection for other people."
Nine officers and two administrators were laid off this month. The cuts were made to help save a million-dollar shortfall in this year's jail budget.
"It makes me feel sad because I think we need the officers," said taxpayer Norma Mack.
The head of jail security wasn't allowed to speak on camera but insists the jail is still secure. Staffing is just at minimum requirements. The jail has been hurt by the expansion of other jails across the state.
It used to get money from other counties that didn't have room for all their prisoners. Yakima County would rent those beds, but those counties aren't sending their prisoners here as often and now the county is 18 million dollars short because of it.
"Why can't we get this money some other way,” asked Action News. “Is bed money really the only way we could make up for this?"
"We could raise taxes," said County Commissioner Mike Lieta.
But County Commissioners don't want to do that.
"Why don't we take some money from reserves and pay for this help this out a little bit so people can keep their jobs," asked Action News.
Yakima County Commisssioner Lieta said the county can only dip into reserve funds if they money can be paid back. It doesn't seem these beds will be bring in extra money any time soon putting more people out of work and fewer officers watching inmates.
But County Commissioners don't want to do that.
"Why don't we take some money from reserves and pay for this help this out a little bit so people can keep their jobs."
Yakima County Commisssioner Mike Lieda said the county can only dip into reserve funds if they money can be paid back. It doesn't seem these beds will be bring in extra money any time soon putting more people out of work and fewer officers watching inmates.
Yakima County plans to transfer three-million dollars from a road levy to help offset the loss at the jail.
KIMA - you spelled Leita wrong.
I feel for the employees being laid off. Its a tough time and losing a job right now, especially right before the holidays must hurt.
Someone will get hurt because of all the cuts. Hell. the state DOC only sentences criminals to 3 days when they violate probation now! Look at how many serious or violent criminals we have heard about in the last year who would have been in jail except for the "swift and Certain" slap on the hand.
More useless eater public union thugs bankrupting the nation at the expense of the private sector. We could easily bring 3rd world workers to do this job for one-tenth the amount of wages and still achieve the same results. We currently bring people here for other forms of employment that are much more skilled than being baby sitters.
 @schwartzer When Unions were strong, so was the economy. Since the conservatives took power in 1980, the wages for the bottom 99 percent have lost wage. Not so for the upper 1 percent, their salaries have jumped beyond belief. With corporate thugs setting the policy for the Republican party, this trend is likely to continue. The corporate CEO, with Adam Smith's belief that profit is morality, has an enormous salary compared to his employees, yet the nation still suffers economically. Things will only get better when the people of the us realize that the "tinkle down" economics is a recipe for making a small number of people rich while hurting the majority, strip the citizenship from and deport every conservative in the US.
 @The Old Christian  @schwartzerÂ
Hey pal-
Both of these clowns whether democrat/republican are cut from the same cloth and until one figures this out the sheep will continue voting in hopes of getting their vested interests served. This jig was up when the federal reserve act was passed in 1913-see both episodes of "swindling the goyim" if you don't believe me. The union thugs vote democrat hoping to get their vested interests served while the republicans do the same. Meantime, the only interests that get served are the ones wrecking this once great nation. In the end, the vote that counts is the one who serves israel best and not the US. This country had an opportunity to vote for a candidate who was really for we the people with liberty and freedom and the US interests in mind but chose to vote for the ones they truly believed their interests would be served. . .NOT! When ALL the uninformed figure this out-sounds like you yourself included- then maybe, just maybe the country could change for the better. Don't count on it. Good luck in your next endeavor
These pieces of garbage produce nothing and steal from those who do.
The Justice System NEVER sentences people to REAL HOUSING, REAL CAREER TRAINING, or REAL JOBS; it's always PILE ON THE CRIMINAL RECORDS that forever keeps them UNEMPLOYABLE and in the system...
 @August100 The game is rigged as you say. Read, know and understand your Constitution.
If you don't know your rights you have no rights!
Seriously????? Didn't KIMA just post an article about the YPD SWAT team wants to buy a new/used toy???..Geee we gotta have an APC at over 100K...... but we gotta lay off 11 employees from the jail to cover a shortfall. Hello.. am I the only one thats sees through this charade???
@KevinRyak You cant compare YPD buying an APC to Officers being layed off at the jail because the budgets are not the same. Its City vs County. I do agree with what you are saying about YPD buying the APC on such a short budget though. Doesnt make any sense to me.
Maybe they should do something about judges turning criminals loose, instead of putting them in jail!!
 @t l You are a public union uneducated worker no doubt?
guess i wont be applying for corrections anytime soon.