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California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is bagging a plan to improve his state’s prison health-care system, which is known to be a mess, because of the $1.9 billion price tag.

“We cannot agree to spend $2 billion on state-of-the-art medical facilities for prisoners while we are cutting billions of dollars from schools and health care programs for children and seniors,” Schwarzenegger said in a statement:

A month ago, state officials announced a plan to build two hospitals and improve existing medical centers for inmates, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

But now, “it’s just not the right time,” state Corrections Secretary Matthew Cate told the paper. “At this time, we’re going to have to live within our means.” He adds that the state remains dedicated to improving prison health-care and hopes to finance it under a previously approved $8 billion borrowing plan, notes the AP.

One twist: The deal scrapped by Schwarzenegger actually wouldn’t have worsened the state’s $24.3 billion deficit, says the Chronicle. That’s because the money would have come from bonds for the new hospitals and prison construction funds that had already been allocated for refurbishing existing medical centers.

The system was removed from state control in 2005 to federal courts because of inadequate care prisoners were receiving, where an average of one inmate a week was dying because of poor care, according to the Chronicle.

Photo: Associated Press

Original post: 
Schwarzenegger Pulls Back on Prison Health Improvements