BY BRIAN BRUEGGEMANN - News- BND.com
Most in the crowd wore green T-shirts with "Save Murray Center" printed on them. They included family members of the Centralia center's roughly 275 residents, as well as employees and other supporters.
But there also were a few representatives from groups that advocate for people with disabilities, who said institutions are not the proper settings for such people.
The hearing began about 3:45 p.m. and ended about 9 p.m. About 80 witnesses -- elected officials from the region, advocates for people with disabilties, community members, employees of the center and others -- gave testimony to the state's Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. Some witnesses were not able to testify before the hearing ended.
The group will make a recommendation to the governor on whether the center should be closed, but the recommendation is only advisory.
Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed closing Murray Center and other state facilities as a cost-saving move. Quinn's staff also says people with developmental disabilities generally do better in so-called community-based care, rather than institutions.
Sen. James Clayborne, D-Belleville, who is the Senate majority leader, gave a statement at the hearing, and mentioned that his first cousin resides at Murray Center. He said closing the center would cause "devastation" to the region's economy.
"It is certainly not the right thing to do during the aftermath of this great recession," Clayborne said.
Rep. John Cavaletto, R-Salem, told the commission, "Change should be decided by the parents, not the state of Illinois." The crowd cheered and had to be gaveled.
Michelle Saddler, secretary of the Department of Human Services, told the commission members she's from St. Louis and is familiar with Murray Center and the region.
"I'm not here to criticize Murray," Saddler said. "But I am here to talk about the constraints and demands that are placed on our system ... that lead us to recommend change."
Saddler said DHS recommends closing the center mostly as "a policy decision," not a financial one. She said community-based care is better for people with disabilities, and only two states have more people in institutions than Illinois.
But Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, said he thinks the decision is about money, and that the state is trying to balance its budget on the backs of workers and people with developmental disabilities. "This is not right," he said.
Rep. Jerry Costello II, D-Smithton, said the region would lose about 875 direct and indirect jobs if Murray Center closes. Based on the area's population, that would be "like 115,000 jobs lost in Cook County," Costello said.
Rep. Paul Evans, R-O'Fallon, grilled Kevin Casey, director of developmental disabilities for DHS, about why Murray Center was targeted for closure instead of other developmental disabilities centers operated by the state. Evans asked Casey if he was surprised by Quinn's choice of Murray Center.
"No, I wasn't particularly surprised," Casey said.
"I've heard otherwise, sir," Evans replied.
As for the effect on the area's economy, Casey said if the closing of state facilities was based solely on that criteria, none would ever be closed. He said new jobs will surface in the region at private care facilities, rather than jobs that have been built around "19th- and mid-20th-century science."
A resident of Murray Center, Kimberly Leonard, testified. "Please save our home. Thanks for your time," she said.
Barb Pritchard, of the Community for All Coalition, an advocacy group for people with developmental disabilities, brought with her to testify two former residents of state institutions, who said they prefer living outside such facilities. Pritchard said residents of Murray Center deserve "a chance to achieve their dream."
Sen. John O. Jones, R-Mount Vernon, said the only way he could accept closing the center is if Quinn visits Murray Center's residents to "look these people in the face, and look them in the eye," and then tell them it has to close.
Before the hearing began, supporters of Murray Center and supporters of community-based care had dueling press conferences.
At the pro-closure news conference, Tony Paulauski, director of Arc of Illinois, an advocate for people with disabilities, said institutional care is "like having a school without computers."
"We're talking about going back to the dark ages with institutions," he added.
At the pro-Murray Center news conference, Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, accused Quinn of "bullying" the region.
Centralia Mayor Tom Ashby said elected leaders from five counties favor keeping Murray Center open. "We all stand as neighbors to Murray Center," he said.
Cavaletto told supporters at the news conference: "Do not stop writing. Do not stop emailing. Do not stop calling the governor."
Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, said he wants to ask Quinn: "Why are you picking on Southern Illinois?" The Tamms prison, in Phelps' district, also is targeted for closure by Quinn.
Murray Center employs about 550 people.
According to Quinn's office, it costs about $41 million a year to operate Murray Center. A Quinn spokeswoman has said it costs the state $150,000 to $200,000 yearly for a person in institutionalized care for the developmentally disabled, compared to about $80,000 per year in community-based, private care. Under Quinn's plan, the state would provide money for people with disabilities to be placed in community-based care.
Quinn's staff estimates the state will save about $22 million a year by closing Murray and a similar center in Jacksonville.
The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability has a May 19 deadline to issue a recommendation to the governor. The commission recommended that Jacksonville Developmental Center be kept open, but Quinn is proceeding with plans to close it.
Copyright 2012 Belleville News-Democrat. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Contact reporter Brian Brueggemann at bbrueggemann@bnd.com or 239-2511. Follow him on Twitter at @B_Brueggemann.
Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/2012/04/20/2148929/follow-live-tweets-from-the-murray.html#storylink=cpy
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Ability Chicago is in favor of people with disabilities that want to live in there community in a group home setting, with supportive services. As always we are posting articles that help in understanding of disability related issues.
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