This is one more example of why I argued that it was irresponsble for Sen. Frerichs and Rep. Jakobsson to once again follow their leaders by passing an unbalanced budget and defering critical spending decisions to Gov. Blagojevich:
The governor was given an unbalanced budget, Quinn said, and "he did the responsible thing."
"These aren't decisions we take lightly," she said. "We didn't want to make them, but given a $2 billion deficit we have little choice."
Quinn said the governor met with each agency and developed a management plan as part of making up the deficit.
Overall, four state agencies will cut their work forces this fall because of the $1.4 billion Blagojevich took out of a state budget he said wasn't balanced.
The cuts include 179 positions at the Department of Children and Family Services and 73 at the Department of Human Services. Another 127 DCFS workers will keep their jobs but be moved to positions or areas where there are vacancies.
As for the parks and historic sites, the decision to close them is one that will not change this year, Quinn said.
Several historic sites, including Lincoln Log Cabin near Charleston and Bryant Cottage in Bement, are scheduled for closure Oct. 1.
Kickapoo State Park near Oakwood, Moraine View State Park near LeRoy and Weldon Springs State Park near Clinton are among the parks scheduled for closure Nov. 1, according to information from the governor's office.
I notice that the article had no quotes from either Democratic legislator who had originally voted for this budget. I hope someone - if not the media, then their constituents - will ask them why they wanted the Governor to make these sorts decisions, and why doing so was good for their districts.
I'm no fan of the Governor but we are at a point that ANY cuts are better than no cuts. I can't applaud but I won't criticize this action. Cut away gov! You can dump the Lincoln Hall project too.
At this time restoring some measure of fiscal soundness to the state government trumps ALL other considerations.
I'd still like to hear local legislators who knowingly voted for this unbalanced budget justify their votes as being in the best intersts of the state and of their districts.
Of course, nobody who matters will ask them to do so. There are no indications they were asked about their budget vote decisions in this story, nor in any other stories I've seen about the Governor's budget cuts.
At this time restoring some measure of fiscal soundness to the state government trumps ALL other considerations.
I agree completely - and as much as I love the outdoors (and especially the local parks set to close), these are some of the less essential services. It's a real shame that he's halving the DCFS.
I'm curious if the local forest preserve districts could take up the slack - we just saw CCFPD add another property, so I wonder if the respective counties of the closed parks would be able to handle this. I'd hate to see these parks deteriorate any more than they already have in recent years - especially when you consider how far some parks (e.g., Kickapoo, an ex-strip mine) have come.
Just wondering, is anything north of I-80 being closed?
Just wondering, is anything north of I-80 being closed?
Artichoke, I was going to make a map of the closed locations, but it looks like some areas are getting hit harder than others.
Just wondering, is anything north of I-80 being closed?
Yes - as far as state parks are concerned:
Castle Rock State Park, Oregon
Lowden State Park, Oregon
Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, Sheffield (technically south of 80, but 80 literally runs along the north border of the park)
Illini State Park, Marseilles (same as above, except 80 is like 3 miles north)
Channahon Parkway State Park, Channahon (same as above)
Gebhard Woods State Park, Morris (same as above)
So, two are north of 80, 4 are within a couple miles of 80 (although, humorously on the south side of 80), and five are south of 80.
Perhaps if you had check the news outside of the N-G.
http://www.commercial-news.com/local/local_story_243225608.html
http://www.commercial-news.com/local/local_story_242235918.html
State Sen. Mike Frerichs (D-Gifford) was equally as disappointed by the Democratic governor’s behavior.
“I’d like to work with the governor to resolve these issues,” Frerichs said, “but he has no real desire to work with the legislature.
"Perhaps if you had check the news outside of the N-G."
They didn't ask the question that needed to be asked: why Sen. Frerichs voted for such an unbalanced budget in the first place, given that he knew doing so would hand so much power to Gov. Blagojevich. Wasn't it Frerichs' argument that electing a Democrat to the State Senate was supposed to be beneficial to Champaign and Vermilion Counties?
Instead, we get a press release quote from Frerichs about how disappointed he is and how he will work to keep the park open, when he voted (and knew he was voting) for a budget that would necessitate decisions like this.
It was and irresponsible vote, lots of people were saying it at the time, and Frerichs chose to follow his leadership and vote for the budget.
At this time restoring some measure of fiscal soundness to the state government trumps ALL other considerations.
If the gov really cared about restoring fiscal soundness, he would not have added new programs without funding for them.
He also might grow a pair and raise the income tax, but hey, I doubt it.
He also might grow a pair and raise the income tax, but hey, I doubt it.
Yeah, I don't like paying taxes any more than anyone else, but this might be necessary.
I think your headline is a bit misleading, as it might lead people to believe the Old State Capitol in Springfield is being closed -- NOT true.
The facility being closed is the former statehouse in Vandalia, which was the state capital prior to 1837. I would refer to it as the "Vandalia Statehouse" to avoid any confusion.
Sorry - I got it from here and misunderstood it.
Looks like it won't close, but won't be funded by the State any longer. That said, it may well close once the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission funding expires unless the state chooses to fund it again.
This discussion caused me to search for the complete list of closings. Several of importance have not been mentioned--the Dana Thomas House and the Davis Mansion. The reason for mentioning these is that the state has spent millions renovating these structures along with the others on the list, such as the Vandalia State Capitol. What a total waste again of state funds to have these restored places closed, only to begin the pathway to benign neglect. I understand the comments about the need to get the state into a fiscally responsible position, BUT thanks for this governor and his entourage, this is a next step. My short fuse about fiscal irresponsibility on all levels of government has just blown. I wonder how many of these places could have been kept open had the governor not been flying back and forth to Chicago?
Pattsi Petrie
On the up side, the fishing at Kickapoo will be better when it opens again :)
Maybe someone should ask Senator Frerichs why the governor isn't working with the legislature, and why he feels so emoldened? Could it be because Emil Jones ran interference for him time and time again, and the other Democrat Senators fell in line behind him? What good did electing a Democrat from this area do for us, or for the rest of the state, for that matter?
I can hardly call the Governor a hero for putting out financial fires, when he previously fanned the flames, and even lit those same fires.
It's fiscal Munchausen by proxy syndrome.
I believe Frerichs voted for additional money in the state budget, but the House voted it down.
Welcome back to the Artichoke.
"I believe Frerichs voted for additional money in the state budget, but the House voted it down."
He voted for more spending than revenue and stated that he would rely on the Governor to make the cuts to balance the budget. There are numerous quotes from him and other legislators at the time indicating that was their plan. I, and many others, criticized them at the time for abdicating such responsiblity to a Governor who is so capricious and has other priorities than serving Downstate. But Sen. Frerichs chose to follow his leadership rather than do what is best for his District.