Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., came to the Tri-Cities in August, promoting the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. And in December, she was promoting an extension of unemployment benefits -- yet she has failed to even acknowledge the real issues of why her home state is broke.

The Washington State Department of Corrections is holding thousands of prisoners past their release dates who cannot provide a DOC-approved address, when in fact, Senate Bill 5525, the "voucher program," has provided the money to solve this problem. So why was I, a recently released prisoner, held three months past my release date at unprecedented taxpayer cost?

Per the Senate Bill 5525 report, in pertinent part: "In 2008 DOC held 1,258 offenders past their earned early release date for a total of 135,011 bed days (or an average of 107 days per offender). The offenders' release plans were denied for a variety of reasons."

If the Legislature earmarked the money to solve this housing issue, why is the DOC still holding thousands of prisoners past their release date, costing you -- the taxpayer -- millions of dollars? How long will Sen. Murray continue to turn and look the other way?

Jerry Mullikin, Kennewick