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The Town of Southwest Ranches, Corrections Corporation of American (CCA), and DHS / ICE want to build one of the largest immigration detention centers in the nation within walking distance of thousands of homes; thus, reducing the quality of our life and our community. We do not agree with the federal government privatizing our immigration detention centers throughout the nation when there is clear evidence that privatizing our prisons creates a clear public safety threat. For ICE to continue to privatize these institutions and bring this safety threat through their "secure communities Initiative" to our community is unacceptable. Depriving someone of their liberty is a non-delegable governmental function and privatizing of such a function is infecting our nation like a virus.

The Town of Southwest Ranches has now entered into it's THIRD Fire Contract within the last year now with the Town of Davie, costing taxpayers $120,000 in ramp up fees. They are now closing several roads in western Southwest Ranches charging the tax payers $80,000 for the gates. They have paid an unknown amount of money for lobbying with ICE regarding this prison. They have several lawsuits against the Town, 1- Involving Open Meeting Violations on a November 5th meeting concerning the ICE Detention Center, 2- Open Records Violations, and 3- The Town is putting together a lawsuit to sue Pembroke Pines for breach of contract because the City utilized their exit clause and cancelled for convenience their Fire/EMS contract which included water and sewer at the last minute for the CCA prison. In the contract it states that there should be no third party beneficiaries. CCA would be a third party in this instance.

CCA has also filed suit in Federal court against the City of Pembroke Pines saying they are denying them water however the City had never seen a water application. The City did file for a Declaratory Judgement in State Court but that has been put on hold until the Federal Court hears the suit from CCA.

Is ANYONE CONFUSED as to why the Pembroke Pines/Southwest Ranches Fire Agreement was cancelled? The Town Attorney Keith Poliakoff attempted to "slip" into the agreement a portion that guaranteed water for the prison at CCA's request. This is something that should have been brought up separately. CCA should have brought it forward on their own in a water application. This is sleight of hand that CCA and the Town attempted to do because they were so afraid of CCA being on the Pembroke Pines agenda.

As of June 2012, ICE put out a statement that the site selection was no longer needed due to the fact that the extra bedspace was no longer needed.
READ UPDATE HERE!


Friday, December 9, 2011

Do Your Homework! Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware).

This article was submitted by noted anti prison activist Frank Smith and we thought it was worth posting. There's a lot more great information about CCA and others on their site.




Jeff Nelson might have a "better" reason to try to convince residents that this development is inevitable.

The mayors of many cities, including Appleton, MN, Eloy, AZ and California City, CA, have found themselves with jobs at the CCA prisons they host.

CCA has also proven very generous to politicians that support them. Debbie Wasserman Schultz got $1,000 from their Political Action Committee this year, as did Mel Martinez and Johnnie Byrd. The corporation contributes millions annually to state, local and federal candidates. Rick Scott has been perhaps the largest beneficiary of for-profit prison industry largesse in the U.S.

CCA has already broken its word with the two towns, as it has with many others around the country.  The original prison it intended to build was much smaller, but they've substantially ramped up the intended size.  It is a prison, of course. The only difference between a prison and a "detention center" is the sign over the door. Prisons originally constructed or expanded for "detainees" have magically been transformed into places where the worst of the worst out-of-state convicts have been imported. This is a classic "bait and switch" tactic.

In order for such a facility to be approved by the feds, a National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) assessment needs to be made, to determine the effect of the proposed development on the community in question.  CCA has avoided this requirement simply by ignoring it.

CCA has a long history of immensely overcharging those agencies with which it contracts and of avoiding taxes, one of the worst case scenarios being with the state of Florida where it billed for millions in unearned revenues. There is no reason to trust them about anything.

I wonder if a recall of the mayor isn't in order? How many signatures would need to be gathered?

Neighbors, please understand why we will fight this thing until it's dead.  Look at the success in stopping Walmarts around the country.  You are fighting a much more noble cause.

5 comments:

  1. We only need around 300...That shouldn't be too hard to get!!

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  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  3. Nelson is up for reelection in November, so a recall is sort of meaningless unless there's a strategic advantage of calling a special election to get the other two items off the Presidential election and onto a special election.

    Instead, we should execute a 3 phase attack to:

    1. elect somebody else as mayor,

    2. change the Town charter to allow the Attorney to be removed with a 3 to 2 vote simple majority rather than the charter mandated 4 to 1 supermajority and

    3. find a legal way to put a binding vote on the prison on the ballot.

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  4. $1000 is generous?? Wasserman Schultz sold out her constituents for $1000? She comes cheaper and easier than...well, nevermind

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  5. this is right on the money they are buying the souls of our elected officials and our elected officials are selling themselves dirt checp. check out both www.americanoutrage.wordpress.com and www.browardoutrage.com

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