Berger: ‘Public safety should not be a partisan issue’

Shorter Prison Sentences Advanced by Democrats as Cost-Saving Measure

Raleigh, N.C. – The New & Observer editorial board published an op-ed piece Thursday criticizing Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) for his support of setting public safety as a spending priority in the state budget. The authors of the editorial also express their support for closing prisons, reducing the length of sentences, and releasing inmates back into the general population.

In fact, their position was championed during the last session of the General Assembly by Democrats in the North Carolina Senate who pushed through two bills (S488 and S489) that will reduce sentencing lengths for some repeat felons. Under the legislation, a convicted rapist with a prior record could face a prison term more than two years shorter than under the current law. The argument advanced in favor of the legislation was to avoid costs to the state to build additional prisons to house convicted criminals.

Sen. Berger said, “Mismanagement and wasteful spending in the state budget by Democrats who control the process has brought North Carolina to the point that releasing criminals back on the streets is favored as a cost-saving measure. This may be good news for those who share the opinion of the News & Observer editorial board and favor policies that coddle hardened criminals rather than provide for the protection of the public, but it is bad news for law-abiding North Carolina citizens. Public safety should not be a partisan issue. However, Democrats have shown by their decisions on the state budget that they prioritize wasteful spending and pet projects while they are willing to let public safety and education fall by the wayside.”

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