*** UPDATE *** ”This is not a reversal,” I’m told. The administration has always had a plan to somehow repurpose the facility, I was informed in no uncertain terms.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* As we’ve discussed many times before, Gov. Bruce Rauner’s main weak spot is Republican legislators. Whenever they rise up and forcefully demand something, Rauner complies.
It apparently happened again, even though this compromise also helps out a Tier One Democratic target…
After an “all hands on deck” approach to solving what would have been a potential setback for Henry County, legislators and local leaders applauded a new beginning for the Illinois Youth Center at Kewanee on May 20. State Rep. Don Moffitt (R-Gilson), State Sen. Chuck Weaver (R-Peoria), State Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Rock Island), and State Rep. Mike Smiddy (D-Port Byron) were joined by employees, county officials, city and economic leaders to show unity for the people of Henry County.
“Senator Weaver and I are pleased to announce we have a letter of commitment from Governor Rauner that IDOC will re-utilize IYC-Kewanee as a correctional facility. This announcement only became a reality with the combined legislative and Kewanee area community effort. This is good for the community, good for jobs, and good for the taxpayers,” said Rep. Moffitt. “I want to thank Governor Rauner for making this commitment.”
“We look forward to helping ensure the Illinois Department of Corrections realize its goals to help rehabilitate our state’s inmate population and provide the justice that our courts seek. I know the addition of the Kewanee Youth Center into IDOC’s inventory will be an asset,” Weaver said. “I want to thank the Governor’s Office and the Department of Corrections for a continuing commitment to Kewanee, Henry County and criminal justice reform.”
Senator Anderson added, “I am pleased with the announcement and commitment that the Governor has given. Although Kewanee is not in my district, a large number of the employees reside in the 36th Senate District. The facility will aide the Department’s mission serving justice for Illinois’ citizens.”
Representative Smiddy also added, “This has been a strong bipartisan effort to ensure this facility continued to stay open and offer economic viability to Henry County.”
The Illinois Youth Center-Kewanee is the newest facility for Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice and will be one of the most modern for IDOC, with it’s opening in 2001. It will be a safe addition for both employees and inmates, and an efficient use of taxpayer dollars. The Illinois Department of Corrections currently has more than 45,000 inmates in custody, while only maintaining actual bed space for about 31,000.
Re-purposing the Kewanee IYC facility will help take a small step towards resolving some of the inmate overcrowding issues as the Rauner Administration and Illinois General Assembly work collaboratively to reform the criminal justice system. It is expected that the re-purposing will help relieve some under-staffing and overtimes hours within the Department of Corrections.
The exact mission for the IYC facility has yet to be determined.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:55 am:
Henry County,
Remember this, reward your legislators. Vote accordingly. They ALL stood up, even the Republicans. Thank them.
- Mama - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:59 am:
Did the ‘Tier One Democratic target’ have to switch sides to get this deal?
- Cassandra - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:28 pm:
I thought we were moving away from mass incarceration of (mostly) young minority men.
Not in Illinois, I guess. Still, the Kewanee area must be pretty desperate if their economy is so dependent on a continuation of discredited incarceration policies.
- Liberty - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:33 pm:
Politics still rules. You cannot run a state like a business.
- Formerly Known as Frenchie M - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:45 pm:
Not a reversal?
Of course it is. Up until today, they never announced it would be repurposed. It was to be closed.
What’s the story with the state museum? I mean, they closed it in order to open it again? As if that was always the plan?
- WhoKnew - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:51 pm:
I’m confused!
Was he for it before he was agin’ it,
or agin’ it before he was for it?
- Juvenal - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:55 pm:
Way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, Team Rauner.
You have taken a happy story for a local community that is supported by the governor and bipartisan legislators…
…and turned it into another story where the Governor’s ego is the center of attention.
Go with what you know, I guess.
P.S. If this was your plan all along, you would have been at the presser.
- Markus - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 1:05 pm:
“we have a letter of commitment from Governor Rauner”
If that’s all you have, then you have nothing.
- Earnest - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 1:05 pm:
Thank goodness Mike Madigan allowed the Governor to do this.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 1:08 pm:
To the Update…
===”This is not a reversal,” I’m told. The administration has always had a plan to somehow repurpose the facility, I was informed in no uncertain terms.===
Governors own… They always… always do.
The bad… and the good.
That’s all this is. Remember this Rauner Crew. That’s how this “works”.
Here endeth the lesson.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 1:12 pm:
===This is not a reversal,” I’m told. The administration has always had a plan to somehow repurpose the facility, I was informed in no uncertain terms.===
Well then… the administration has done an absolutely horrendous job informing the angry people with pitchforks in and around Kewanee. Rauner must like playing the villain. Even if the facility is saved and repurposed, the governor has already lost these people.
- Cassandra - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 1:29 pm:
Somebody should inform the people with pitchforks that this is temporary. The age of mass incarceration is ending in America, albeit far too slowly. And if the closure of a prison spells economic disaster, the economic future of your community is not bright.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 1:44 pm:
@Cassandra
Ever been to Kewanee? Their economic future is not bright with or without the prison. I am no fan of mass incarceration myself. But Kewanee is in my area. I want to see as many opportunities for people in my area. You can make a pretty nice living in Kewanee because of its low cost of living.
- Norseman - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 2:24 pm:
Dear GOP Solon,
Once again your interest has been deemed to be subservient to Rauner’s. Since you’ve been purchased, you should understand that point. You need to crawl to Governor’s press office to get permission to issue a news release in the future.
- Anonymous - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 2:34 pm:
Kiss off Cassandra!
- Mama - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:46 pm:
Will the November election tell Rauner how to repurpose the Kewanee facility?
- Tone - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:56 pm:
Once again your interest has been deemed to be subservient to Rauner’s. Since you’ve been purchased, you should understand that point. You need to crawl to Governor’s press office to get permission to issue a news release in the future.”
The dems are owned by the public employee unions. Which is much, much worse.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 4:11 pm:
Tone, seriously, what is wrong with you???