Debra J. Saunders Recommend this article  Before the ruling, the
state corrections department had begun canceling contracts for
the 9,800 inmates housed out of state and had budgeted for only
half those slots. Cate told me Thursday that the administration
is reconsidering that decision -- and can quickly change course.
May I suggest? Do so, pronto.  "I don't think you should assume
that the administration will decide to let out anybody," Cate
admonished.  But there are two forces that shout otherwise.
One: The state is broke. Teachers, welfare workers and
government-aid recipients look at the $9 billion corrections
budget and think they could spend the money better. The state
spends close to $50,000 per inmate because prison staff is well
paid and federal judges have ordered health care improvements
that boosted the tab for health care to $14,000 per inmate per
year. Counties and cities have had to lay off law enforcement
officers, and Brown promises pay local government about half as
much as the "$50,000 sc