Prisons chief asks board for more cells for growing population

Director Bob Bayer told the state Public Works Board his agency needs the new prison - the second phase of a superprison that eventually may house 10,000 inmates - because of the steady increase in the prison and state populations.

Bayer said prisons must have space for about 750 additional inmates a year. About 9,200 inmates now are in state prisons.

The PWB spent Monday and Tuesday listening to requests for construction of $600 million in new buildings from state agencies and the University and Community College System of Nevada. The university system alone is seeking more than $300 million in building projects.

The board will meet again Aug. 24 to start whittling down the request list.

Members will make their recommendations and forward their list to Gov. Bob Miller by Oct. 1. Approval of the Legislature next year is required before construction begins.

Despite falling state tax revenues, Budget Director Perry Comeaux estimated $200 million might be available for state construction next year through issuance of bonds. Comeaux also serves as chairman of the Public Works Board.

Citizens now pay for state construction projects with a 15-cent property tax per $100 assessed value.

Because past projects are being paid off and the statewide property values are increasing, Comeaux said $200 million in new buildings might be constructed without a tax increase.

In the past, much of the state building program was paid from surplus revenue. State gaming and sales tax revenues, however, have fallen below projections.

Comeaux added that the additional prison sought by Bayer is probably a done deal because it is necessary for public safety.

The prison is part of the Cold Creek state prison complex south of Indian Springs near the existing Southern Desert Correctional Center.

The first phase of the superprison still has not been started. Sletten Construction of Nevada recently bid $97.2 million to construct the first 1,500-bed prison. But that bid was much higher than the $82 million projection.

A decision on whether to allow Sletten to proceed should be made in the next few days. Bayer hopes the first prison opens by March 2000, six months later than original projections.

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