She told the Mercer County Prison Board Monday that inmates should pay a fee for their housing in the county jail.

The prison board appointed a cost-containment committee, consisting of Mrs. Lazor, Sheriff William Romine, county solicitor Lewis McEwen and cost collections coordinatorChris McCurdy. Besides looking into the legality and feasibility of charging housing fees to inmates, the committee also will look at ways to try to stop the rising cost of medical care.

Mrs. Lazor is suggesting the county follow the lead of Berks County. A court ruling has stopped Berks County's attempt to collect housing fees from inmates facing court proceedings. However, the case is being appealed, said Commissioner Cloyd E. "Gene" Brenneman.

Inmates on work release pay a fee for their housing and clients also pay for house-arrest monitoring. The proposal would extend the housing fee to include sentenced inmates and those awaiting court proceedings, said Warden Jeffrey Gill.

Inmates would pay a fee representing a portion of the $51 daily cost of their room and board, Gill said.

Inmates in the county jail also get free medical and dental care, said Controller Dennis M. Songer, prison board president, who agreed the housing fee is worth studying.

"Those who commit crimes are getting all this at taxpayers' expense. People out there are getting very aggressive about this, and I don't blame them," Mrs. Lazor said.