PRESCOTT VALLEY - Opponents of a private prison that might be located in Prescott Valley have launched a website to fight it.
Former Town Councilman Tom Steele and Michael Hendricks, formerly of Prescott Valley, recently launched www.noprisoninpv.com to mobilize opposition. Steele said he established the domain name a day after the Prescott Valley Economic Development Foundation issued a press release Dec. 17 announcing civic leaders had met privately with representatives of Corrections Corporation of America.
Steele, a Prescott Valley resident for six and a half years, said he launched the site to educate the public, adding, "We are passing out fliers in neighborhoods and businesses."
The website contains a link to a newspaper story, the phone numbers of Town Council members, a YouTube video, other information and an e-mail address for Steele.
Mayor Harvey Skoog commented Wednesday, "I have not seen it." However, he acknowledged some constituents might have called him after they logged onto the website.
"Right now, we are not debating the issue," Skoog said. "(Steele) is. But he has been on the wrong side of many issues."
Town Manager Larry Tarkowski declined to comment on the website. He said two weeks ago that the town government plans to commission a telephone survey after CCA, based in Nashville, Tenn., conducts a public meeting locally to discuss its plans.
CCA spokesman Steve Owen said he is unaware of the anti-prison website and indicated his company is considering multiple sites for a prison to house a maximum of 5,000 inmates, not just a proposed site off Fain Road.
He added opposition to prisons often comes from a "vocal minority."
Meanwhile, Steele is using the website to urge people to attend the first regularly scheduled meeting of the council in 2010, on Jan. 14. He also filed a public records request at Town Clerk Diane Russell's office to obtain e-mail documentation of contacts between the council and CCA officials as well as other correspondence.
Steele said he met Hendricks through the Prescott Tea Party, which is part of a nationwide movement that has spoken out against the federal bailouts of auto manufacturers and banks, health care reform and international regulations to curb global warming.
Hendricks, who now lives in Paulden but maintains two businesses in Prescott Valley as well as having family here, said he has done extensive research on private prisons.
"A lot of people that live in Prescott Valley are retired," he said. "They came to Prescott Valley to get away from big-city life."
Hendricks said he is upset that Councilman Patty Lasker penned a Talk of the Town commentary in the Daily Courier in which she cited the benefits a private prison would bring, such as jobs. He added he helped to get her elected to the council in 2009.
Lasker and Gary Marks, executive director of the economic development foundation, were unavailable for comment.
Posted: Monday, January 11, 2010
Article comment by:
Charlieen Christopher
I do not believe the comments in some of these responses. It says that 61% are for the prison and 27% against. Then why is everyone I talk to against it and why are most of these comments against it. Is the town council going to tell us any numbers they please are for it in order to justify. It was voted down in 2007 and will be again, if they bother to put it up to a vote. Of course that may not happen since they seem to want to build a prison regardless of what the people want. Just wait until the next elections!!!!!
Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2010
Article comment by:
Kate Robinson
This issue isn't about jobs and the economy. It's about overly punitive laws and an Arizona prison mentality - a society that thrives on turning prison into a profitable business - if people want to dig dig into the Arizona prison system subject, then do some deeper reading:
http://arizonaprisonwatch.blogspot.com/2009/12/michael-santos-power-in-prison.html
http://www.justicereinvestment.org/files/arizona_press_release.pdf
http://quarterlyconversation.com/what-are-prisons-for
http://www.prisonpolicy.org/research/prison_and_the_economy/
http://allisonkilkenny.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/new-prison-statistics/
And especially don't miss Sunbelt Justice:Arizona and the Transformation of American Punishment -
Amazon -- http://www.amazon.com/Sunbelt-Justice-Transformation-Punishment-Perspectives/dp/0804762856/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263154925&sr=8-1-catcorr
and here -http://www.sup.org/book.cgi?id=17521
also - check out http://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/school-prison-pipeline
and http://www.splcenter.org/legal/schoolhouse.jsp
Wake up people - incarceration is not a business and Arizona is the number one prison state. Is this the legacy you want for Arizona?
Posted: Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Article comment by:
ArmyVet : an unshaken American
Now you land owner and developer lackies just settle down. We were here first and didn't come because there was a prison, quite the opposite. It appeared a peaceful small town. And as time went by we discovered a somewhat questionable government that has been brainwashed ... into Develop or Die by the Land Owners and developers, then came along the carpetbaggers who smell blood (money) in the water. An example; why do we give the Prescott Valley Economic Development "Foundation" almost a quarter of a million dollars a year to bring in toxic development? How many actual jobs has this front actually brought in in the last ten years? It seems to me to be a branch of the Rutherford Fain organizations and we saps foot the bill. This whole crazy idea of a prison being 100% approved by Mayor Skoog proves the man is suffering from lapses in mental judgment and needs help. We told him 2 years ago a resounding "No!" What exactly is there about "NO!" Harvey you do not understand? Have they offered you more milk and fresher cookies? .... Harvey, I am concerned. Please take some tests your flip flop on the Federal funding first against the for the Secondary Access road did seem to a bizarre and questionable action. Glad you don't have a red button on your desk! But hey! it's time, there is a witness Protection program in case there is something you would like to discuss with the Federal Authorities. Confession is good for the soul. I shall pray.
Posted: Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Article comment by:
No name provided
Bringing a prison to town will not be the death knell Tom Steele is saying it will be. As he is encouraging everyone to do, I did my own research online and found this article about a facility in Montana: www.correctionscorp.com/static/assets/09-0914-Shelbycrossroads-GreatFallsTribune.pdf
Yes, it's from CCA's site, but I couldn't read the entire article on the Great Falls site. Like us, residents in Shelby had reservations about bringing a prison to town. But ten years later, it seems to have done OK.
Posted: Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Article comment by:
Mike C
Okay. The prison-haters get to spew misinformation and call it fact. I would like to know why they haven't run for elected office if they believe they can make a real difference. Too much work Tommy? Let's see, a $200,000,000 (that's two hundred MILLION DOLLARS) investment in the community and 450 direct jobs with starting wage of $16+ per hour is BAD. Right. Why don't you guys run for office next year to see how many of us agree with you?
Posted: Monday, January 04, 2010
Article comment by:
JG
Thanks to those who care enough to learn the truth before they decide where they stand. This new website certainly adds nothing for anyone interested in truth. From everything I have seen from these people, this website is a perfect representation of who they are and what they wish "Nothing for anyone".
Posted: Monday, January 04, 2010
Article comment by:
No name provided
I think it is great that Prescott Valley is getting a prison. Everytime I read the Courier online and see all the orange jumpsuits from PV, they won't have far to go to lock them up.
Posted: Monday, January 04, 2010
Article comment by:
Awful website
After having an awesome Christmas and New Years holiday, I return to work and in review of the weekend news I find all these comments. Lots of emotion and harsh expressions. The website, (referred to in Hedler's news piece) is so grossly inacurate, so poorly put together, and kinky, it makes even those NOT in favor of the prison project want to be on a different side of the issue than the website creator. Ladies and gentlemen: Happy New Year; we must continue to analyze this project to see if it's a favorable option for PV. Until then, listen and watch for some "real" information to come out about the project. Hopefully the fact based information will help eliminate the nasty taste left in your mouth from this awful website. Dear Mr.Steele: You poor man; someone has hurt you very deeply and my heart goes out to you. You probably don't even realize how offensive, negative and gross you come across. Get off your computer, go outside and get some sunshine while the weather is nice; you're sure to feel better.
Posted: Sunday, January 03, 2010
Article comment by:
Wendell
Wow! Tom Steele must be doing something right if so many exploiters are crawling out from under rotten logs to attack him.I guess The High pressure gas line, the first 2,000 inmate prison, the Big Chino ( NO! You cannot have a vote) pipe line, and the library that looks like it was designed by madmen wasn't enough. Now the 5,000 inmate prison and the only one with Moxie to oppose it gets stoned by lackies of the Town Rolex Ranchers, the Cowboy MAfIA and their gangster buddies. No wonder this town is a laughing stock. Anyways, Jan 14th 5:30PM BE THERE. Its your chance to be a man or woman and tell the pantywaists "NO we don't want your prison".
Posted: Sunday, January 03, 2010
Article comment by:
No name provided
If we get this prison we will become Eloy and Florence. I live here too and plan on staying here so I don’t care about who is fighting the fight. You are ridden with personal greed or you wouldn’t be trying character assignation. I bet you do most of the negative posting under various names. I saw that website and give them credit for the work they are doing. I’m sure it will become a place to see the other side of CCA. I don’t like the fact that our town leaders are wasting money to be spent for a telephone survey. If they were not afraid of the true feeling of the people they are supposed to be working for, council would put this on the ballet. Just let the people vote. And by the way, I spoke to a group of guys outside the Tumbleweed Café, in Eloy. They just finished a job in the prison that day. The company they work for is located in Phoenix! I was told they go all over the state for CCA. All the food, comities and hardware comes from a central warehouse. Nothing is bought or contracted locally. And that came from the guys that worked in what they called ‘a hell hole.’
Posted: Sunday, January 03, 2010
Article comment by:
No name provided
We'll get the prison, no doubt, and some construction jobs then correctional and maintenance jobs long term. Escapes will be rare if not non-existant. The web page the opposition is running is a joke. Scare tactics at best, aimed at the uninformed and just plain stupid.
Posted: Sunday, January 03, 2010
Article comment by:
Gary G
Went to look at CCA web site this is christian based/faith based company. That has done it for me brain washing the incarcerated. Why cant Prescott Valley build a state/county prison Offering the same benefits.
Posted: Sunday, January 03, 2010
Article comment by:
Sick O'Steele
I don't think Tom puts himself out there at all. It could just be rumors, but I heard that Tom was filing complaints against Disneyland in California. It seems that the man is against everything. Tom if you're all for getting information out there, why don't you share some of your real history, so your followers know what kind of man is really leading the charge. You never will, because if you do, everyone will bail from your bandwagon. I think you can't compare PV to Eloy or Florence. The prisons are ALL these towns have. PV has a lot more to offer, and will continue to grow. I'm proud to live here.
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
Article comment by:
Sparky Red
To all you shop clerks and burger filppers. You WILL NOT be hired by Concentration Camps of America. They will not use any of the town firms to build it, well, maybe a token Fain friendly one. You are about to get scammed big time . But thats life in the stupidist town in the dumbist state. To Teabagging Tommy , Mr Steele puts himself out there day after day using his name. Go lookup Teabagging in the Urban Dictionary and one can see one of its defination fits you to a "Tea" Go snap your garterbelt somewheres else.
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
Article comment by:
Max
Any intelligent person can see Skoog and the Council members are mere Fain puppets using a cut out , the Prescott Valley Economic Development Foundation. WE fund it and it shafts up! That prison comes in I go. All the "business" folks out there that thing a shower of money will hit this town you are sadly mistaken. The Fains will make fortunes and you silly geese will be putting up "For Sale" signs. Good luck trying to run this town after all the retirees leave Then you will see more than one wall collapse.
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
Article comment by:
$10.00 per hour
One of there's makes $450,000.00+ and he's only one of many that PV will be working for.
Form 8-K for CORRECTIONS CORP OF AMERICA
15-Dec-2009
Change in Directors or Principal Officers
Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors;
Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
As previously disclosed, John D. Ferguson, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Corrections Corporation of America (the "Company"), retired from his position as Chief Executive Officer of the Company effective October 15, 2009. Mr. Ferguson continues to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company and continues to be employed by the Company as an "at will" employee. On December 9, 2009, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company approved Mr. Ferguson's compensation for 2010 pursuant to which he will receive a base salary in the amount of $540,000 per year and will be entitled to participate in the Company's 2010 Cash Incentive Plan, which is expected to provide incentives to covered employees in the form of cash bonus payments for achieving certain performance goals expected to be established by the Committee in February 2010. Mr. Ferguson will not receive any new awards under the Company's equity incentive plans for 2010.
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
Article comment by:
KAOS
To Mayor Skoog and the rest of the Fain puppets. For one Mr. Skoog, you say Mr. Steele is on the wrong side of many issues. Well the truth is Mr. Skoog, You are one the wrong side of every issue and just can't find it in yourself along with the rest of the Fain puppets to admit when your wrong. Also Mr. Skoog you can't seem to every get your stories straight along with not telling the truth about things. The fact is Mr. Skoog, the mass majority of the jobs a prison will bring will be filled with people from out of the area, from the start of a prison being built to staffing the prison when complete. So tell the truth Mr. Skoog, that its all about the Fains selling or leasing the land for the prison and the "FACT" that most of the jobs will be filled with Folks from outside the area. SO MR. SKOOG TELL THE TRUTH FOR ONCE!!!!!!!
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
Article comment by:
confused by steele
Dear wake up,
Obviously you dont read much before you put your head where the sun don't shine before you make comments. 1. i am undecided on the prison as stated in my comment. Also it would create more jobs but so did fudruckers , CVS , and countless others. My main comment was based on the fact of the websites design of the non prison folks. Its like they made absolutly ZERO effort into making it. The wesite is a mess and is not clear on what they are against other than CCA. It looks like they just slapped it together to get something out right away. If they just took a day and hired a pro they could of made it look a heck of alot better.
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
Article comment by:
Another Fain-tastic idea
First it was the mini-arena with a direct pipeline to taxpayers' money. Remember how that was supposed to bring so many jobs to the area? And how 'bout that lawsuit from the backers who say they were duped? And the (Site administrator's note: A portion of this comment was removed because it violated our Terms of Use Agreement) concession prices? And the surprise name that makes downtown PV look like one big car lot? If you enjoy paying for THAT Fain folly, you'll LOVE the new prison.
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
Article comment by:
No name provided
Opposition comes from a "vocal minority"? Oh, right--the people who disagree with those who will make money on a prison. Count me in with the "minority."
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
Article comment by:
No name provided
PV Trib has an online poll regarding support of the prison. Its running 61% for and 25 % against.
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
Article comment by:
Tim...???
What will the new Prison pay as far as wages? what are they're requirements for hiring? How much land will they need? Have these private prisons ever failed to the point of closure? And if so what will become of the structure then? I've only heard 'canned rhetoric' from anyone at CCA. It's hard to make an informed decision with so many questions.
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
Article comment by:
Wake Up!
Ok...
1. Tom Steele is NOT the issue.
2. Some people would sell their kids "for a job." I suppose if they were proposing an anthrax plant, it would be OK if it generated "JOBS!"
3. At least someone has taken the time to put a website together to inform "society", that usually has it's head up where the sun don't shine, to inform them of a proposal that may not be the best course for the "non elite" public.
4. Of course if we already have a section of the town that has, what you might consider "less than desirable" housing, then what the heck. Maybe we could build a nuclear testing facility to go with the prison ..... JOBS!
5. Don't fear the council lumping anything... they will do as they are told to do.
6. "What a joke! This person must be against everything. Never heard of him being right about anything. So if he's opposing this, we should be supporting it."... Typical rationalization, at its finest!
7. "It's time for Steele to take his wacky right wing ideas back to California and his pals in the lunatic fringe.".... More VALUABLE input!
8. "i am sure CCA's campaign for a prison wont look like that!"
For starters, you always use a capital I, but that said, genius you can count on the fact some PR company will construct a "campaign" that will look just fine "to you!"
9. So, since we need JOBS and don't really care what generates them, then let the "Powers that be" continue to have their way and you, society, just keep your head comfortably buried in some nice warm sand.
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
Article comment by:
No name provided
" If there's a new way, I'll be the first in line..but it better work this time" D. Mustaine.
I dont see any other option right now.. and i'm not reading any other suggestions for the economic demise of the county..so i would say go for it...but think of Florence..and the prisons there are the only economy they have now...
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
Article comment by:
No Prison, No Steele...
...No Fains and No Skoog, if you get rid of the negativity of this town you end up with a pretty good place.
Do you think any future business want to come here with
(Site administrator's note: A portion of this comment was removed because it violated our Terms of Use Agreement) Skoog in Charge, Lease the land Fain, name calling Steele, and now a Prison. Whats next a Nuclear waste dump?
