As Democrat lawmakers look for cuts to meet the $1 billion budget shortfall for Colorado, not on the chopping block are $5.4 million in unlimited free phone calls for jail inmates.
The cost of the state-issued tablets and calls are already $579,000 over budget this fiscal year and running five times over the original projections, Axios Denver reports.
Instead of eliminating the fledgling program or just pausing it long enough to get a better service plan as was lamented, Democrats have agreed to keep shoveling money into the program.
Until 2023, inmates paid for their own phone calls to friends, family and other acquaintances. Then Democrats got the bright idea that taxpayers should start footing the bill.
As Axios pointed out:
The overruns represent a microcosm of the problem the Democratic-led Legislature faces this session: The policies and programs created in good times now cost too much in a year with tight spending limits.
It will be interesting to see what government services for taxpayers Democrats think is not as important as free phone calls for convicted criminals.