Ringo: ‘We could’ve used more’

The first divided vote among the divisions of the prison budget came on community corrections, on which Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, said she’s concerned that an 8.3 percent cut in state general funds for the division could result in inadequate supervision of offenders on probation or parole. “That concerns me,” she said. Overall funds to the division would drop by 0.1 percent. LeFavour was joined in opposing the motion by Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, but it passed, 18-2.

Ringo then spoke out against the proposed budget for the education and treatment division. “I think it’s someplace where we could’ve used more,” she said, noting that a recent performance evaluation of pardons and parole cited lack of timely treatment programs as a factor in delaying parole releases. That motion, which shows a general-fund increase of 4 percent but a total-funds drop of 8.8 percent, passed on a 16-4 party-line vote.