Levy raps Cuomo over Suffolk inmate order

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, right, lashed out Wednesday at Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for what Levy called a “highly punitive” order by the state correction commission forcing the county to spend $500,000 per month to send inmates to prisons outside county borders.

In a letter, Levy assailed the commission for withdrawing some of its variances that allowed the county to house more prisoners than usually permitted while Suffolk builds a new $156-million jail.

The commission withdrew waivers for 128 of the 511 prisoners over capacity after Tropical Storm Irene because of concerns that a “stressed membrane structure” in Yaphank might become unsafe in future storms.

“Over the past year you have stated your desire to ‘put the brakes’ on unfunded state mandates,” Levy wrote Cuomo in the letter. “This costly and unnecessary action by the commission on corrections is a pressing example of the mandate relief needed by county government and warrants your intervention.”

Levy’s letter comes as the costly new jail in Yaphank is scheduled to open next April with a capacity of 440 inmates. Levy complained the county is also faced with $33 million in extra costs to hire new correction staff for the jail and a new round-the-clock jail infirmary at a time when taxpayers “can least afford it.”

Cuomo’s office didn’t return calls for comment.