AMARILLO,TEXAS -- Facing a $10 billion budgetary shortfall, Governor Rick Perry is calling on all state agencies to cut their budgets.
State legislators say some prisons may be on the chopping block as they try to reduce their shortfall by 300 million dollars.
Statewide, while smaller units may be at risk, State Representative John Smithee says the Neal and Clements units should be okay.
"They both meet the criteria for being an efficient operation , also they fill a niche within the prison system, so I don't think they are going to be likely candidates. What concerns me more are some of the rural units, Dalhart for example, where they've had trouble staffing their prisons, these are the ones that may be in jeopardy, so I think we have to watch those very closely."
Texas has 112 prison units and spends nearly $3 billion annually to house more than 153,000 inmates.
