Tuesday, May 1, 2012
* No surprise here…
An Illinois legislative commission opposes Gov. Pat Quinn’s plan to close two prisons and a center for people with developmental disabilities.
The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability voted 7-3 Tuesday against closing prisons in Tamms and Dwight. It also advised against closing the Murray Developmental Center in Centralia.
The panel’s action is only advisory. Quinn can still close the facilities, which he says must be done to cut spending and improve care for people with mental disabilities.
* More…
The commission agreed with the plan to close an office of the Department of Children and Family Services in the Chicago area. But it voted down the Administration’s closure plans for Tamms, the Murray Center for the Developmentally Disabled at Centralia, Dwight Correctional Center, the Illinois Youth Center at Joliet, and two adult transitional correctional centers in Chicago and Joliet.
* This is odd…
n a surprise, the commission’s chairman, Sen. Jeffrey Schoenberg, D-Evanston, said the City of Centralia had proposed in recent days that the Murray Center campus be made available for private use, if it were to close.
Schoenberg said the sate had received “some documentation from the City of Centralia, in the last couple of days, sketching out a proposal” for a consortium of not-for-profit groups to acquire the campus.
After the commission’s meeting, Centralia Mayor Tom Ashby said the city had made no such proposal. Ashby said he thinks it was “just something that was suggested by the commission.” […]
Two area lawmakers, Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, and Rep. Paul Evans, R-O’Fallon said it was the first they’d heard of such a proposal.
*** UPDATE *** From AFSCME…
AFSCME Council 31 executive director Henry Bayer issued the following statement in response to votes today by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) rejecting Governor Quinn’s proposed closures of Dwight Correctional Center (by a vote of 7-3), Joliet Illinois Youth Center (5-5), Murray Developmental Center (7-3), Peoria Adult Transition Center (10-0), Tamms Correctional Center (7-3) and Westside Adult Transition Center (5-5).
“We applaud the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability for rejecting Governor Quinn’s wrongful and damaging closure threats. The commission voted to protect essential public services and preserve more than 2,000 Illinois jobs.
“The governor’s push to force individuals with disabilities out of their homes, reduce mental health treatment, jeopardize prison safety, end reentry programs and put thousands of public servants out of work are the wrong priorities for Illinois.
“The commission’s work is an example of good government in action. COGFA brings together lawmakers from both parties, both chambers and every part of the state who along with their diligent staff studied Governor Quinn’s proposals. Unlike the governor, they toured the facilities, visited the communities and listened to testimony from employees, advocates, local officials, individuals and families. In stark contrast to the Quinn Administration, they considered all the evidence, reached the sensible conclusion and rejected each of the closures.
“We call on Governor Quinn to listen to the commission and withdraw his ill-considered closure plans, and we urge the legislature to make sure all state facilities are fully funded in the 2013 budget.”
COGFA also clarified that absent any motions made to reconsider, its previous votes stand, rejecting the threatened closures of Jacksonville Developmental Center, Murphysboro Illinois Youth Center, Singer Mental Health Center and Tinley Park Mental Health Center.
- Posted by Rich Miller | Capitol Fax
http://capitolfax.com/2012/05/01/cogfa-dont-close-anything/
No comments:
Post a Comment