CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT FOR TAXPAYERS

I must respond to the recent article in The Post-Crescent headlined,
"Air-conditioned cells could cost $700,000." It takes a lot to get me angry
and most people who know me would tell you that I root for the underdog,
but I was furious when I read the article.

We are laying off teachers and other staff in our K-12 schools,
universities and technical colleges. Yet a lawsuit filed by prisoners at
the former "Supermax" prison in Boscobel complaining of "cruel and unusual
punishment" and settled by ex-Gov. Scott McCallum will cost taxpayers
$700,000 so the cells of these hard-nosed criminals will not exceed 84
degrees in a heat wave. Is 85 degrees "cruel and unusual" punishment for
the "bad boys" that this prison was built to hold? Is it too warm for
killers, rapists, drug dealers and repeat offenders? Well, excuuuuuuse me.

What about low-income residents of apartment complexes that are not
air-conditioned? Senior citizens living on fixed budgets who cannot afford
medications let alone air conditioning? And many K-12 students who have the
"cruel and unusual" fate of attending classes in a schoolhouse that is not
air-conditioned?

The settlement also demanded $3.4 million to retrofit the prison with
indoor and outdoor recreational facilities. There is merit in having some
exercise equipment, certainly, but $3.4 million worth? They do not need
"Gold's Gym Extraordinaire" at Boscobel. And if it gets too warm, perhaps
85 degrees, will the inmates refuse to use this expensive equipment?

Seems to me that, in this situation, we taxpayers are the ones experiencing
"cruel and unusual punishment," thanks to our former governor.

Sandi Moore, Town of Menasha