Maricopa prison policy could squeeze state

Napolitano backed off from previous suggestions that the county itself should somehow have to pay for the state's increased prison costs resulting from County Attorney Andrew Thomas' demand that more repeat felons go to prison.

He announced last month that he would agree only to plea deals that include prison time for criminals with previous felony records.

The Corrections Department has said Thomas' policy change will boost the cost of prison operations by $50 million annually, but Napolitano said the impact is still being reviewed as state officials try to learn details of what Thomas actually plans.

She said added costs for prisons would mean less money available for other spending priorities, such as transportation, child protection and education.

"He has to recognize, everybody has to recognize, that the budget pie is only so big," she said. "If we're going to be putting more money into that, which it will require, then something else is going to have to give."

Napolitano acknowledged hat Pima County has long had a similar prosecution policy on sentencing but said Thomas' stance was a problem because Maricopa County has a much larger population and accounts for roughly 65 percent of the state's inmate population.

Napolitano indicated she was troubled both by cost aspects of Thomas' proposal and the fact that he didn't consult her administration before making his Nov. 28 announcement.

Thomas has said the new policy, which would take effect in January, would send an additional 2,600 offenders into the prison system within the next year.

He said Tuesday that any billing of Maricopa County for the state's costs for imprisoning additional inmates would contradict state law and that fighting crime is an important priority.

"This new repeat-offender policy is essential for the fight against identity theft, auto theft and other crimes," Thomas said.