Associated Press
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts says he does not understand why a legislative committee working on the next two-year budget would cut the number of additional corrections officers he requested in half.
Ricketts said Wednesday he was “greatly disturbed” by the Appropriations Committee’s decision not to fund all 48 new officer positions. He says lawmakers have spent the past year asking him what the corrections department needs and then chose not to create the positions.
The corrections department has struggled to fill open positions and had nearly 150 officer vacancies as of March 31.
Ricketts says he plans to continue advocating for more guards. Creating 48 new positions would cost about $11 million over two years.
The request comes as Nebraska faces a projected $288 million two-year revenue shortfall.