Youth commission pays for empty facility

EAGLE LAKE, Texas (AP) - Two days after Gov. Rick Perry removed the state's troubled youth prison system from conservatorship, state records just made public show Texas taxpayers have paid more than $1.26 million so far to open a prison for offenders that sits empty.

In early July, the Texas Youth Commission contracted with a Florida-based company to open a facility for teenage offenders in Eagle Lake __ at a cost of more than $22,500 a day. Commission officials agreed to pay for empty beds to cover the startup costs of the company, Youth Services International, the Austin American-Statesman reported in its online edition Friday.

Youth Commission and company officials defended the contract, insisting that the payments were proper and appropriate.

"There are two ways to cover startup costs: pay upfront or pay higher rates," said Cherie Townsend, the Youth Commission's executive commissioner newly appointed by Perry.

Perry's office and legislative leaders strongly disagree.

"Taxpayers should not be paying for goods and services they don't receive. And we shouldn't be paying for the startup costs," said Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle.

"This is absolutely outrageous. Somebody ought to be investigating this and heads ought to be rolling," said state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, chairman of the criminal justice committee.

Under the terms of the contract, the Youth Commission agreed to lease up to 132 beds for $189.50 per youth per day, guaranteeing they would pay for 119 beds starting on the date the contract was signed. Over a span of three months, that totals more than $2 million, but records indicated that the state had paid the company only about $1.26 million as of Thursday.

Attributing recent delays in filling the prison to inspection issues, Townsend said 18 youths will be transferred to the Eagle Lake site Friday. Plans call for it to house more than 100 offenders in the future.

Townsend said she is reviewing possible modifications to the contract - without citing specifics.