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[posted by Mike Murray]
* High school athletes can be tested for steroids anytime
Gov. Quinn on Friday signed legislation that would allow testing of high school athletes for steroids during any point in their seasons.
The anti-doping law, pushed by Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock), builds on the Illinois High School Association’s existing policy. For the first time this past year, that group performed random steroid tests on student athletes, but only during the playoffs.
* Quinn signs student veterans legislation
Quinn Friday also signed legislation he says will benefit student veterans at Illinois public colleges and universities.[…]
The Higher Education Veterans Service Act requires Illinois schools to create a guide of services available for veterans. It also states that schools with more than 1,000 students must appoint a liaison to work with both administrators and student veterans.
* State employee furlough plans still taking shape
State agencies are being required to develop plans for workers to meet the 12-day furlough requirement while still maintaining operations.
“In developing a furlough program, agencies should take into consideration 24/7 operations, federal funding of employee positions, revenue-generating positions and other budgetary considerations in ensuring service delivery and staff coverage,” says a memo from the Department of Central Management Services to state agency officials.
Those plans are to be returned to CMS by Friday (Aug. 14).
The letters sent Friday were addressed simply to “state employee,” and say that “non furlough-exempt” employees must take 12 unpaid days off before June 30, 2010. Five of those days must be taken before Jan. 1, the letter states
* An ex-cop still trying to save lives
McCue is executive director of the Guildhaus in Blue Island, a halfway house for the long-term treatment of alcoholics and drug abusers. Only eight years ago, he was a client himself.[…]
McCue telephoned Friday because he had received a letter from the Illinois Department of Human Services.
“Our budget is being cut 75 percent,” he said. “That means we will go from $220,000 in state funding to $55,000. We’re in trouble. I don’t know any rich people to ask for money. Most of the people I know have come through here.
“And we have a tremendous success rate. We’ve saved people’s lives. Put them back to work. But I don’t know how we’re going to keep this place running without that state funding.”
* Overtime costs corrections
Gov. Pat Quinn plans to lay off as many as 1,000 prison workers at the same time a lengthy state audit reveals that overtime costs within the Illinois Department of Corrections increased from $19.2 million to $37 million two years ago because of staffing shortages.
The review by Illinois Auditor General Bill Holland’s office only pertains to fiscal years 2007 and 2008, when the corrections department was managed by a former director and under the administration of a former governor. Former director Roger Walker was appointed by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Walker was replaced in June by Gov. Pat Quinn’s appointee, Michael Randle.[…]
“This goes to the heart of the failure of the management of the department,” he [Holland] said, adding that because there have not been dramatic changes in the management since the two years in the audit, the foundation going forward is weak. “I think the new director has got some real soul searching to do with his management team.”
One problem cited in the audit was that the department violated the legislature’s intent by not spending extra money dedicated to hire new frontline staff. The General Assembly authorized spending $11.7 million to hire 231 new staff in fiscal year 2007, but only 154 new staff were hired. The next year, the legislature allotted $12 million to hire 500 new employees, but only six were reported as being hired. Instead, according to the audit, the department used the money to pay for existing staff, which also included more expensive overtime costs.
* Boost in lottery profits not guaranteed
Winnett said she’s heard the $150 million figure, but lottery officials aren’t prepared to make predictions.[…]
Winnett also cautioned that the federal government could put a halt to selling lottery tickets online.
“No (state) lottery is selling individual tickets on demand over the Internet,” Winnett said. “It seems that the Justice Department has some concerns on that.”
Legislators are counting on increased lottery revenue to help pay for the state’s $31 billion capital plan.
* Illinois 336 draft ready for review
Forty years after the state Legislature identified the project and seven years after studies began, the last draft of a Macomb-to-Peoria highway is ready for inspection.
Exhibits, alignment maps and an environmental impact statement will be available for view at three open houses sponsored by the Illinois Department of Transportation next week.
“The overall purpose of the meeting is to get public input on what they see. There’s still time to tweak, although we hope there’s nothing major,” said Eric Therkildsen, an IDOT project development engineer. “We’re not too concerned about tweaks yet.”
That’s because funding for actual construction has not been allocated. If Illinois 336 goes forward, roads and bridges making up the 60-mile stretch of highway are estimated to cost between $710 million and $730 million. That does not include land acquisition or engineering, although $7 million has been approved for the design and soils work.
* Finke: State candidates love to draw out the suspense
Will Gov. Pat Quinn break with Blagojevich tradition and actually show up on time to cut the ribbon? For that matter, will Quinn actually show up? Blagojevich was known to skip the parade and most of the fair itself, although he did cut the ribbon.
For what it’s worth, Quinn’s office said he will march in the parade. What we’ll have to see is if the route is lined with disgruntled state workers fearful of losing their jobs and how they will greet Quinn.
The two political days should also be fun. Because the governor is a Democrat, their day is known as Governor’s Day. Under Blagojevich, Governor’s Day was known for the spontaneous appearance of busloads of people who suddenly decided on their own to travel to Springfield in support of the governor. So great was their love for Blagojevich that they sometimes booed his arch-enemy, House Speaker Michael Madigan, who is also chairman of the state Democrats. Last year, Madigan skipped the fun. Will this year be different? Will anyone really care?
Then there is Republican Day, which recently has had all of the festive atmosphere of a visitation. It should be different this year, what with roughly half the Republicans remaining in the Legislature running for some statewide office or another. If each candidate shows up with their own cheering section, the crowd could be impressive indeed. And optimism will fill the air, much as it is now filling the air for, say, Detroit Lions fans.
* Officials hoping for larger crowds when state fair opens Friday
Illinois State Fair officials are hoping for good attendance this year despite higher admission and gas prices and staff cutbacks.[…]
State budget cuts meant the fair’s staff was reduced by 15 percent. The fair also has had to raise admission prices and cut its entertainment budget by $300,000.
With the first price increase in 19 years, adults will pay $5 instead of $3 for admission, and children who used to get in free will pay $2.
But Bliefnick pointed out that once inside, much of the fair’s entertainment is still free, including Frisbee-catching dogs, horse racing, singing and dancing.
* State fair expanding recycling efforts for 2009
“We’re doubling the number of recycling containers in an effort to get more fairgoers to pitch in and recycle,” Bliefnick said. “We’ll probably have a couple hundred for glass, plastic and aluminum.”
She said the fair has had recycling in beer tents for aluminum cans and bottles for the past couple of years, and that effort has been very successful.
“We’re also banning plastic foam for all of our 30 vendors,” she said. “We hope they’ll comply.”
In another effort aimed mostly at vendors, the fair plans to recycle cardboard this year.
* Quinn headlining conference on river
PEORIA —Gov. Pat Quinn will headline the 12th Biennial Governor’s Conference on the Illinois River in October at the Hotel Pere Marquette.
“Our waterways are among the most vital natural resources in the Land of Lincoln, and it is imperative we do everything possible to protect them,” a Quinn spokeswoman said on behalf of the governor. “This conference will help find comprehensive and coordinated solutions that will preserve and restore the Illinois watershed for generations to come.”
Every other year, the conference attracts representatives of more than 30 local, state and federal agencies and advocacy groups. This year it will include an ecosystem tour, an interactive digital technologies open house and workshops, as well as keynote speakers.
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is tentatively planning to speak, although his office said that has not yet been confirmed. Illinois Department of Natural Resources head Marc Miller will moderate a panel on ecosystem services - a process that establishes the monetary value of natural resources.
* The woman who took on the Terminator
Bass surely got an earful from her counterpart, Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. They were huddling when I arrived at Monday night’s event at the Union League Club.[…]
She is “jealous” of Illinois’ legislative advantages. Madigan has been a fixture in the Illinois House since 1971 and has served 25 years as speaker. California’s strict term limits have limited Bass to months, not years, on the learning curve. She must leave office next year.[…]
“My style is collaborative, it’s not combative,” she said. “I see no reason to be a bully.”
As Bass spoke, Jan Schakowsky was nodding. Alas, Mike Madigan had already left the room.
* Web site helps drivers track road projects
Illinois has a new Web site to update drivers on road-construction projects.
You can find the site at http://www.dot.il.gov/dashboard public. The site provides information on active construction sites, including estimated completion date.
* More lanes closing on Ford
Beginning last Friday, traffic on the inbound Bishop Ford (westbound I-94) from 159th Street to Dolton Avenue was reduced to two lanes, through November.
posted by Mike Murray
Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 10:27 am
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IL 336 needs more than a tweak. Its all on new alignment-Except for a few miles near Peoria it follows roads that carry Combined less than 2000 cars per day. It Hurst Bushnell Which originally asked for another lane on Illinois 9 If IDOT had done that there would be no need for an EIS
Once again IDOT has created an overdesined unbuildable road
Comment by western illinois Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 10:41 am
I find it interesting that Quinn has been completely silent on the issue of sacrifice on the part of Illinois state government’s many highly paid non-union employees, most of whom are in appointed positions–four year terms or at-will. As we know,he and Stermer, longtime players on the state’s political policy scene, have been obsessive about hanging onto upper level state employees, notably, the Blago 3000. By now, even the four year termers must have been appointed/reappointed by Blagojevich and an increasing number are likely being re-appointed by Quinn these days. Keeping Illinois’ connected Democrats in the financial clover seems to be one of Quinn’s and Stermer’s top priorities these days.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 10:53 am
Some strange math at corrections:
731 — The number of additional corrections officers the GA budgeted for over two years.
161 — The number of correction officers actually hired with those additional funds.
1,000 — The likely number of layoffs of correctional officers
? — The number of prisoners currently incarcerated who will be released early
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 11:34 am
I have several friends around the state who are working mandatory overtime shifts in their long time state jobs because of the hiring freezes. 25-30 hours a week or double shifts pretty typical. They are looking forward to the furlough just to get some days off but are betting they will still be required to work due to low head count. Right hand meet left hand.
Comment by zatoichi Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 11:54 am
I don’t think the Quinn, the beyond-inept accidental governor, has any intention of laying off 1000 corrections officers. He is counting on the union filing a lawsuit to stop him or on some great outcry from the many rural communities whose economies are almost totally dependent on the local prisons.
This is all about engineering a tax increase. And, with respect to corrections, it’s unfortunate, because jail is overused as a corrections tool in Illinois, not only because of bad public policy but also because prison contracts and prison jobs generate large amounts of “campaign cash” for the party in power–and we all know Quinn is certain to run for governor. There should be a plan to reduce the Illinois prison population, but it should be planned out in advance and implemented in stages.
Sometimes I envision Quinn and Stermer sitting in Quinn’s office throwing darts at a board with state agencies on it. Today, let’s say we’re going to lay off….corrections office. No, we said that yesterday. How about….DNR. Not the brass though. Dcfs? Oh wait, there’s that lawsuit.
And so on.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 12:24 pm
Does anyone know anything about when the Gaming Board will give the green light for the Des Plaines Casino?
You’d think a state as broke as Illinois would make getting the 10th license back on-line a huge priority, wouldn’t you? And before anyone brings up Rosemont/the Flynns, Midwest Gaming is a top national casino operator. If they can’t pass muster here, there are about 19 other states that goofed the background check on Mr. Bluhm’s company.
And since I’m asking, does anyone know, roughly, how much new state revenue the Des Plaines casino might produce?
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 1:14 pm
“Illinois State Fair officials are hoping for good attendance this year despite higher admission and gas prices and staff cutbacks.” That’s nice, except for the fact that by moving the Fair back one week many downstate children will be in the classroom during the Fair. I suspect free admission would not be enough the keep attendance levels equal to last year. BRILLIANT!
Comment by Sap Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 2:07 pm
The steroid testing off High school athletes is another example of our inapt politicians applying infringements on citizens where no issues exist.
NO positive tests were incurred last year at a substantial cost to our school system.
But if it is so important to perform demeaning random drug tests for students than why stop there. Lets apply random drug testing to all school employees and also the legislature.
I bet you would improve the number of postive tests as well as the overall performance of our government.
Comment by BillORights Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 3:17 pm
I would like to suggest that all Illinois government shut down one day per month (non direct care/supervision)- there are to few staff to carry the burden - we have been doing this for years - forced overtime is due to lack of staff. In this time of crisis and shared sacrifice - merit comp employees who go years without raises - have never known a cost of living cannot make up any deficit of meaning. Many care deeply about what they do and about whom they do it for - but this hole is to big. We can all skip a driver license facility for one day a month. We can all stay out of the JRTC for one day a month
Comment by both ways? Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 3:34 pm
Are the chicago area media finally getting hip to Governor Quinn???????
Yes, of course he uses his private cell phone for state business. Yes of course he tries to justify by saying it “saves taxpayers money.” (this is the same governor who by the way just threw taxpayers under the bus with a temporary budget that borrows money and forces already over-burden and fiscally ill-represented illinois taxpayers to pay MORE in the long run)
Thankfully, the media and gov’t watchdog groups are questioning Quinn’s “cost saving” using of his private cell phone to conduct state business. ever since he became governor, he has really changed, and not in a good way. he really is no different than all those he criticized for years.
Comment by Will County Woman Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 3:54 pm
–”We can all skip a driver license facility for one day a month”.
Why stop there? If one is getting a driver license, one can drive. There is at least 7 within 30 to 40 minutes from me. How many do we need? Keep the staff, consolidate the locations and cut the building/upkeep cost.
Comment by Cindy Lou Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 4:31 pm
The Auditor Generals report of the IDOC only scratches the surface. A failure of management is an understatement. And the fact that the majority of the administrative structure remains does indicate that any reform will be slow in coming.
I have worked for the IDOC for 18 years and can honestly state that the last 6 years have been the worst of my career. We have seen a reasonable system of accountability completely destroyed by incompetence and outright contempt for the rules by the Blagojevich administration.
Governor Quinn has made only minimal attempts to correct a failure of leadership. I honestly believe that Pat Quinn is not capable of leading this state under such difficult circumstances. Illinois needs bold leadership that will correct the ills of the last 6 years. Especially those that are of a political nature.
I just hope and pray that the public takes note of information such as this audit and demands change before people get seriously hurt or killed.
Comment by southern illinoisan Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 4:39 pm
This Adm. Is No different than Good old Rod
They want the Employees to Shoulder the Burden
for Selfish Political Leaders
You Tell me How can they Have Large $$$$$$
campaign Funds and vote for More Debit ???
Voters Wake up and be heard !!!!!
Don’t just roll over VOTERS !!!!!
WAKE UP NOW !!!!!!
No ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS
JUST GREED AND NOTHING ABOUT THE TRUTH !!!!
Comment by grategul Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 6:04 pm
Southern Illinoisan @4:39 - you hit the nail on the head. I have been with the State for more than 20 years, considered myself a die-hard Democrat (changed to independent) and the Blagojevich Administration is the most inept bunch I have ever seen. But what would you expect from people who obviously bought their positions? This is one reason Quinn needs to grow a spine and get rid of these do-nothing holdovers. In addition, it would do wonders for morale and the employees might not mind taking the furlough days.
Comment by this voter will remember Monday, Aug 10, 09 @ 6:58 pm