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Last Wednesday, the first day the Senate allowed travel, Senator Brian Dahle left the Capitol immediately after his Education Committee hearing for an impromptu discussion to meet with constituents in rural Lassen County, the same county where Dahle resides.
His community members are facing the closure of one of their largest employers - the California Correctional Center in Susanville, CA. Californians have endured numerous hardships with COVID-19 and its severe economic impacts. During these challenging times, small towns find their resiliency from their community, friends, and neighbors. They pride themselves on their hard work and providing for their families. The population is humble, but their love is substantial. At a time when Californians are trying to overcome post-pandemic, the residents of Susanville were struck with this blow.
In addition, Susanville has a higher poverty rate than the state average.
Senator Dahle listened intently as community friends shared their alarm that a city built by the influx of State jobs will be irreparably harmed by uprooting those jobs out. Mom, dads, correctional officers, stakeholders, and small business employers expressed their fears and frustrations for over an hour. If closure occurs over the next couple of years, a community that built their lives and raised their children will be completely upended.