Watkins Glen, N.Y., January 23—Following today's graduation ceremony at the Monterey Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility, which the Cuomo administration has scheduled for closure later this year, State Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) released a statement pledging ongoing support in the fight to keep the facility open.

“As we start the budget process, we will continue to make the case to the Cuomo administration by sharing the facts and the overwhelming grassroots support in place which justifies keeping Monterey Shock open,” Palmesano said. “I have said, over and over again, it makes absolutely no sense to close Monterey Shock, which has a proven and well-documented record of success over the past 26 years of not just saving state and local tax dollars, but even more importantly, of changing and saving lives by giving new hope and opportunity to the thousands of graduates who have completed this successful program.”

Palmesano has joined his local colleagues in the State Legislature, State Senator Tom O'Mara (R,C-Big Flats) and Assemblyman Chris Friend (R-Big Flats), Congressman Tom Reed and other local leaders in a grassroots effort with Monterey staff, former inmates and families, and many concerned citizens to make the case to Governor Cuomo and his administration that Monterey should stay open.

Palmesano said today that he, O'Mara and Friend are working to schedule a direct meeting with the administration in the near future. They plan to continue to highlight the facility’s critical importance to the regional economy, especially at a time when so many communities have been hit hard by job losses. They also will stress the cost effectiveness of Monterey, noting that the shock program has saved the state more than $1 billion through reduced incarceration times and low recidivism rates among shock graduates. Additionally, they will also reiterate information from numerous community leaders throughout Schuyler, Chemung, Steuben, Seneca and Yates counties who have let it be known that Monterey inmate work crews have saved local communities and taxpayers millions of dollars over the years by assisting with community infrastructure and other cleanup and enhancement projects.

The Watkins Glen Chamber of Commerce has recently added to the grassroots Save Monterey Shock campaign by producing and releasing a video focusing on how Monterey has turned around the lives of so many former inmates, as well as its importance to the regional economy and local communities. It can be found on Assemblyman Palmesano’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Assemblyman-Phil- Palmesano/542051452491033?ref=hl.

Here is video of Assemblyman Palmesano advocating for the Monterey Shock Incarceration Correctional facility: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKni7YyHGJM&feature=youtu.be.