Ryan, advocates, challenge legislation to raise communications costs at Broome County jail – WBNG

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WBNG) — The Broome County legislature is set to vote on a resolution authorizing an amendment that raises rates for phone calls for inmates in the county jail by four cents per minute and video calls by three cents per minute.
Democratic candidate for sheriff Matt Ryan was joined by advocates in urging the legislature to vote down the resolution.
Ryan said the sheriff’s office should pay back money made from phone calls with family members during the recent salmonella outbreak in the jail.
“During that time, concerned families frantically tried to stay in touch with loved ones inside. They spent hundreds of dollars making sure their loved ones were okay,” Ryan said. “Where did they spend that hundreds of dollars? On a communication system that shouldn’t exist.”
In the fall of 2025, the Federal Communications Commission voted in favor of raising the caps for communication in jails around the nation.
Sheriff Fred Akshar says the office and Global Tel Link Corporation made these changes as a result.
Ryan argued raising the rates was not requirement set by the FCC and was a choice made by the office.
“Basically, it’s something that they allowed,” Ryan said. “And this sheriff jumped right on it because he’s all about revenue, instead of thinking about the people in the jail and how it’s going to affect their ability to function on the outside.”
The legislature is set to vote on this resolution on Thursday at 5 p.m.
In a statement provided to 12 News on Tuesday, Sheriff Akshar said:
“Under Matt Ryan, Violent Crime went up 50% in Binghamton, 30 Police Officers lost their jobs, 14 firefighters were cut, residential taxes went up 52% and a Tent City was set up in the middle of downtown Binghamton, yet his main public safety concerns for the Sheriff’s Office so far have been bringing back a cost of war clock and free texting from jail at the taxpayers’ expense?
Whether you’re on your home phone, on your cell phone, or incarcerated, the simple fact is phone calls and text messages aren’t free – for law abiding citizens or incarcerated individuals.
New rate changes for phone calls ($0.09 to $0.13) and video conferencing ($0.14 to $0.17) are due to recent nationwide standards changes set by the FCC.
Our tablet vendor, Viapath Technologies, made changes in their pricing in accordance with those new standards, and all other rate increases, (like $0.04 to $0.07 per minute to watch movies and play games on tablets, or $0.25 to $0.50 to send text messages) coincide with costs associated with providing a variety communication methods and opportunities provided for incarcerated individuals and their loved ones.
All revenue is utilized for correctional facility improvements, infrastructure and law enforcement expenditures to the benefit of Broome County tax payers and residents.
Even with these increases, all revenue from phone and messaging is projected to decrease due to FCC standards and guideline changes.
The list of positive, transformative changes made by our BCSO Team for those who find themselves incarcerated at the Broome County Correctional Facility is nearly as long as the list of Matt Ryan’s failures as mayor.
– In the past 3 years, free visitation hours nearly tripled for incarcerated individuals and their families every week.
– Over 8,700 hours (seven years) of free digital education, rehabilitation, self improvement, and workforce training courses have been added to inmate tablets, along with over 10,000 digital books and literature freely available to incarcerated individuals day and night.
– Over 50 hours of supportive and rehabilitative programming have been added and available each week.
– A complete overhaul of the Discharge Planning process utilizing community partners from health care, mental health, substance use disorder support and social services now helps to better set incarcerated individuals up for success when they are released.”
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