Coverage of the $100 million jail bond grant the OC Sheriff's Department is in line for has focused on how the City of Orange can tube it by refusing to support siting a state prisoner re-entry program at Theo Lacy Jail.

I think that's a secondary issue. The re-entry facility doesn't have to be located at Theo Lacy in order to get the $100 million. It could be located at the James Musick facility, for example. Musick is in unincorporated territory -- the Board of Supes could approve it, obviating the need to obtain a resolution of support from a city council. Plus, it's my understanding the Musick expansion would permit the re-entry facility

[And for the record, I'm not opposed to locating it Theo Lacy. I have little patience for NIMBYism, so I'm not going to practice it in my own city.]

In my opinion, the more real threat is the condition that the re-entry facility belong to the California Department of Corrections as collateral for the bond money (an issue Christian Berthelsen covered on his article). Sup. Bill Campbell has made it plain for several weeks that he will not sign-off on a CDC-run facility in a county jail.

I spoke with Orange Mayor Carolyn Cavecche yesterday, and she said "Hell no!" to any CDC facility in the City of Orange. She's perfectly willing to try and reach an agreement with the county on siting the re-entry program at Theo Lacy, but only if the OCSD is running the program. She was critical of this condition being attached to these these AB900 jail bond grants as a backdoor way to insert 'mini-penitentiaries" in county jails across the state.

If the state government insists on the CDC running the re-entry  program,  I think we can kiss the $100 million good-bye.

Meanwhile, other local governments are circling like vultures, waiting to see if OC's $100 million grant falls through. From an article on SanLuisObispo.com:

Political opposition to Orange County's plan to create a re-entry facility in the city of Orange could resurrect San Luis Obispo County's effort to get $25.1 million from the state for a new women's jail.

Orange County has received preliminary approval from the state for a $100 million grant for the expansion of the James A. Musick jail, but the money comes with conditions that could doom the deal.

If Orange County turns down the state grant, San Luis Obispo would be next in line for state money.

It could also mean new life for a plan to create a re-entry facility on state-owned property in Paso Robles. The re-entry jail would house prisoners who are about to be released on parole. The proposed location is near the El Paso de Robles Youth Correctional Facility, which is being closed.