North Country representatives are criticizing New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s decision to close three state prisons, including one in Dannemora and another in Watertown.
Cuomo announced plans to close the Gowanda and Watertown Correctional facilities and the Clinton Annex in 90 days. The Annex is part of the larger Clinton Correctional facility. 115th District Democratic state Assemblyman D. Billy Jones, a former corrections officer, calls the move a kick in the gut to the region. “I’m not happy with this decision and to do this to these employees and to these families right now I’m just disgusted by it.”
Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of the 21st district released a statement calling on Cuomo to immediately reverse the decision, calling it “misguided.”