While conservatives and liberals may not agree on much, the problem with private for-profit prisons is an issue that is a concern for both groups.

Many conservatives don’t like them because they are costing the state much more than government-run facilities (millions of dollars more per year -- 9.5 percent higher cost per inmate), and liberals don’t like them because, in addition to the extra cost, they don’t make any effort toward rehab (the more prisoners, the more profit) and have little accountability.

It’s ironic that in this time of a tight state budget, we are cutting education funds (well-educated citizens are a big draw for any high-paying industry to locate in Arizona), while throwing more money, with less regulation, at the private prison industry.

Our state constitution says regarding “the university and all other state educational institutions” that “the instruction furnished shall be as nearly free as possible.”

Even though our prison population has remained steady or gone down slightly, funding for the Department of Corrections increased 67 percent, while funding for state universities dropped 5 percent and community college funding fell an astonishing 50 percent!

Our state government has even gone so far as to guarantee the private prison industry that we will pay for 100 percent occupancy of the most expensive maximum security beds, and made it retroactive, thanks to Rep. John Kavanagh, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

Where is the incentive to educate and rehab prisoners? Kavanagh would rather pay for maximum security beds, even if they aren’t used, to keep the owners of the private prisons happy (follow the money).

Let our legislators know that our state is better served by increasing education funding and getting rid of private prisons that make a profit by encouraging recidivism --the more prisoners, the more money for them.