Content from our friends over at Dallas Progress
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Dallas County Jail wasting its money
Kevin Krause of the DMN writes on the crime blog that the County is about to spend $1,200 per set for flat-screen TVs for inmates at the Dallas County Jail.
83 TVs x $1,200 per = $99,600. One word: Amazon. This model cost $700.
They're also going to spend $30 per basketball and $125 per net.
Two words: Academy Sports.
Here is a perfectly good $13 basketball and $40 basketball goal. Nets cost $7.
These are consumer prices; how much could be saved by buying in bulk? Sure this is a low-six figure contract but does this also happen with large contracts? And how many more items at the county are bought in this fashion? It makes you wonder.

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Collin Gouldin, says:
at least their toilets don't have seats ...
Verified
1 year agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Pavel Lishin, says:
Uh, at which point to the inmates start having nicer stuff than I do?
Verified
1 year agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Travis Bush, says:
WTF?
"Commissioner John Wiley Price said recently that this jail will be the largest direct supervision facility in the nation when it opens."
Are we sure John hasn't mistaken Uncle Lew for the Convention Center Hotel? This is a terrible waste of money. Just like the flat screens at City Hall repeating images from the waste treatment plant over and over again.
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1 year agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Rawlins Gilliland, says:
Pavel, I don't have a flat screen. My TV was $186 from Sam's. And I can see 'Cops' on it, just fine.
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1 year agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Travis Bush, says:
Ha! Rawlins got jokes!
Verified
1 year agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
alexander troup, says:
John Wiley Price Hamburgers and Meatloves..served by special freinds, Ha!....Travis and Rawlins...Ha!
Verified
1 year agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
DC, says:
The whole thing is a sad commentary.
Anonymous
1 year agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
snowboard9, says:
We should all bring this to the city commissioners attention?
I'm afraid we all circle joke on this issue and nothing gets done. We need to get this highlighted. Times are tough!
Anonymous
1 year agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
snowboard9, says:
I sent an email to the county auditors office. Please do the same and make your point!
http://www.dallascityhall.com/auditor...
Here is my email...
Dear City auditor, According to the Dallas News, the County is about to spend $1,200 per set for flat-screen TVs for inmates at the Dallas County Jail - far higher than you can get at Amazon - never mind the question as to why inmates get flat panel TV's. They're also going to spend $30 per basketball and $125 per net. And how many more items at the county are bought in this fashion? What is the audit office doing about ?
Anonymous
1 year agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal