ANCHORAGE \u2014 Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz says his city is paying the price for the state\u2019s failure to resolve its fiscal crisis.<\/p>\n
Berkowitz reacted after the state Department of Corrections announced it would raise the fee it will charge Anchorage for housing prisoners.<\/p>\n
The department announced Thursday it will increase the fee from $2 million to more than $2.9 million. The department says the increase is due to the state fiscal crisis and legislative inaction on a fiscal plan.<\/p>\n
Berkowitz in a statement says state officials are using fuzzy math.<\/p>\n
He says he will thoroughly review the city\u2019s support to the state for law enforcement and corrections operations.<\/p>\n
He says he will pay particular attention to the city\u2019s cost of pursuing and apprehending people who escape from Corrections Department halfway houses.<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
The state Department of Corrections says it\u2019s raising the fee it will charge the municipality of Anchorage for housing prisoners by nearly 50 percent due to the state\u2019s fiscal crisis.<\/p>\n
The department announced Thursday it will increase the fee from $2 million to more than $2.9 million.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s a 46 percent increase.<\/p>\n
The department says the increase is due to the state fiscal crisis and legislative inaction on not passing a fiscal plan.<\/p>\n
The increase will take effect Oct. 1.<\/p>\n
The department says the municipality has been paying the same rate since 1999.<\/p>\n
The department says it does not charge Anchorage based on per bed use and is not recovering actual costs of housing city offenders.<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Read more news:<\/p>\n
University of Alaska tuition could go up 10 percent next fall<\/a><\/p>\n Indictments: Alleged home intruder told Juneau police he was just at wrong house<\/a><\/p>\n