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* 12:30 pm - The governor’s press conference has finally begun. Listen or watch by clicking here.
*** Click here to read the governor’s fact sheet on layoffs, closures. ***
* Seven state facilities are ordered closed. Tinley Park, Singer and Chester Mental Health Centers. Jacksonville, Mabley developmental centers. Logan prison and Murphysboro youth facility.
* 1,938 employee layoffs.
* Quinn asks that money he vetoed from the budget, $376 million, be reallocated to keep those facilities open and prevent layoffs. The cost of keep the facilities open and preventing layoffs would be $313 million, Quinn said.
* Meanwhile…
A federal judge has dismissed a labor union’s bid to force Gov. Pat Quinn to pay out raises to 30,000 state workers.
In a 26-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough acknowledged that Quinn’s decision to withhold 2 percent raises due to prison guards and other unionized state workers was causing pain, but she said it was not a sufficient enough impairment for her to intervene.
In addition, she said the General Assembly still could give Quinn the estimated $75 million needed to fulfill the contract with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union.
“Since the evidence also establishes that special appropriations are regularly approved, AFSCME cannot establish irreparable harm,” Myerscough wrote.
AFSCME said it would appeal the ruling.
More…
Judge Myerscough’s ruling denies AFSCME’s request for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction and grants the governor’s motion to dismiss the case.
“AFSCME presents no evidence or case law which establish that a failure to provide a relatively small raise constitutes ‘substantial’ impairment” in a contract, the judge wrote. “Because the state enacted the Emergency Rules to constrain expenditures in an effort to prevent insolvency, and AFSCME-represented employees are continuing to get almost full pay and no layoffs despite the state’s dire financial condition, the impairment cannot be deemed unreasonable or inappropriate in light of its legitimate purpose.”
Kinda ironic, since layoffs were just announced.
* 12:43 pm - Back to the presser. Quinn is now answering questions.
Asked why he just didn’t veto the budget, Quinn pointed out that the budget would’ve been “radically cut” even more because the Republicans would’ve been brought into the process. “I certainly didn’t want to give them an opportunity… to make even more radical cuts.”
* Let’s move to the ScribbleLive program. Blackberry users click here. Everyone else can just sit back and watch…
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:32 pm
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Let the howling begin.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:37 pm
refences the human rights department again. Not sure if the average tax payer puts that at the same level as corrections.
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:39 pm
Result in 316 million in costs?
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:39 pm
Line Item budget will not be added to Pat Quinn Bingo cards
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:40 pm
So, there is no such thing as a binding contract with the state of Illinois. Let the floodgates be opened!
Comment by lincolnlover Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:42 pm
So one of the reasons the judge ruled against AFSCME is that the state hasn’t layed off any employees and they are still getting paid. Then, an hour later Quinn announces lay offs of AFSCME members. Wow!
Comment by Seth Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:43 pm
A rondeviewe with reality..
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:43 pm
Rich and other members of the media deserve our respect for listening to a man who speaks like a kindergarten teacher adressing their classroom.
Comment by AC Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:43 pm
Someone asked why did you sign the budget?
Yes…
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:43 pm
Seems like nobody needs a “rendezvous with reality” more than Pat Quinn.
Comment by Coach Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:50 pm
That’s right, blame the Republicans. They only haven’t been in power for nearly a decade. Everything is their fault!
Maybe the Governor should have become engaged in the budget making process instead of doing a “wait and see” approach.
Comment by Its Just Me Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:50 pm
He might as well abolish Labor Relations boards since Union Contracts are worthless in Illinois.
Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:51 pm
He keeps repeating the keyword ‘responsible’ which tells me his proposal is anything but responsible.
Comment by AC Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:51 pm
Or if you decide to zero it out via a veto…
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:51 pm
Land of Lincoln and the Department of Human Rights in the same sentence….
Bingo!
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 12:52 pm
Whose districts get gored? Leuchtefeld, Bost, Bivins, Mitchell, McCann, Watson, Bomke, Brauer, Syverson. Tinley Park is a Dem area (Crotty, McCarthy) but, otherwise, it’s almost all GOP areas getting hit.
I’m shocked!
Comment by mr. whipple Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:01 pm
Chester is a maximum security facility for mentally ill people. I’m not aware of any other maximum security mental health facility in Illinois. I’m curious where he intends to move those patients, unless he is really just playing chicken? Which could be very ugly if he loses.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:01 pm
I think Elgin is max security
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:04 pm
This is just one step in the process, but more is to come. We did not want the to consider the more significant cuts republicans wanted?
Does that mean the republican plan would have made all the cuts through a legislative process with elected officials from both parties from all around the state giving input?
Good point, this is much better.
Comment by the Patriot Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:08 pm
Statesville Prison had this to say about today’s announcements:
“LOL!”
Comment by Dirty Red Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:11 pm
Call me goofy, but I think Quinn was pretty good at this announcement. He stayed mostly on script and despite the don’t-take-aspirin-until-you-have-headache and the Oliver W. Holmes weirdness, he didn’t ramble on as much as I expected.
This is the budget the GA passed and Quinn has to implement it. If Quinn vetoed it, the GOP would have made it worse. The ball is in the GA’s court. They can reallocate the A/V’d funds if they want, but they are the only ones who can.
Like I said, Quinn wasn’t bad. The situation, however, is bad, but Quinn handled the announcement fairly well I thought. And yes, the bar is really, really low.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:18 pm
Those cuts are BS. There was a 428 million dollar shortfall to education and the school have all been notified of a 5% cut in state Aid, yet no one is talking about it. The is an email from ISBE to document this fact.
Comment by the Patriot Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:19 pm
47th Ward, you’re goofy.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:24 pm
Elgin MHC is medium security, not maximum.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:24 pm
Maybe if Murphy would have introduced his press conference into a bill we wouldn’t be going through this
That guy just can’t be taken seriously.
Anyway, sorry I missed this, but was the Phase III $182.8 M ever identified or is this just an added amount to make the number look bigger?
I do find it odd that there was not any facilities in Cook County scheduled to close and it looks like Forby got let off, I could be wrong on that though.
Comment by Ahoy Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:25 pm
Maybe Murphy doesnt understand that the vast majority of state facilities are in GOP districts. So lowering the hammer will inevitably hit GOP members hardest.
Then again when was Murphy ever serious about facts.
Comment by Lincoln's Penny Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:31 pm
The Chester facility is in State Rep Jerry Costello Jr’s district. I’d bet money he put it on the list so Jerry Jr can come out swinging against a Democrat governor and bulk up his conservative credentials before 2012. Then at the 11th hour, Quinn won’t close Chester and Jerry Jr can be a hero.
This especially seems likely given what Anon @1:01 said about Chester possibly being the only maximum security facility for the mentally ill in the state and that if Quinn closed it he’d possibly have nowhere to go with those patients.
Comment by Nikoli Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:32 pm
Ahoy — the Tinley Park Mental Health Center is in Cook County (though just barely).
Comment by unclesam Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:34 pm
@I do find it odd that there was not any facilities in Cook County scheduled to close and it looks like Forby got let off, I could be wrong on that though.
Tinley Park is in Cook County
Comment by StreetervilleSnookie Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:34 pm
what is the revenue shortfall @ DNR anyone?
Comment by Loop Lady Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:41 pm
Though I thought Quinn sounded good and made salient points, he still signed the budget. And the facilities are mostly in GOP areas. Shocker. Mike Jacob (almost) called it. I guess not much will be done to the standard state folks in Springfield.
Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:45 pm
I wanna make sure I understand something.
On one hand our prisons are so overcrowded that the administration had to consider something like MGT Push — early release on steroids — which was quickly reversed in the name of public safety.
On the other hand, we’re so short on cash we can go ahead and close a prison with no consequences on public safety or said overcrowding?
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:50 pm
For those not familiar with the Tinley Park location, even in this down economy the value of that site has to make developers go gaa gaa.
Comment by Eustace Haney Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:51 pm
Chester is the only MHC for the criminally insane. Where violent criminals found not guilty by reason of insanity.
It is not just where the criminally insane will be housed, where will all the other patients go? In Illinois quite often nearly every bed in the mental hospitals are full. There are not enough private hospitals to take up the slack from those closings.
Comment by Paul Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 2:16 pm
Good point, Tinley Park is in Cook County (thought it was in Will) although literally the health facility is just in Cook, Will is right across the street.
Comment by Ahoy Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 2:25 pm
Closing Murphysboro youth camp hits one of two downstate counties that actually voted for him, or at least his running mate.
I agree with Paul. What happens to the criminally insane? Did anybody in the administration think about that. As the ROE issue proves, this administration doesn’t have a good track record with that.
Comment by Downstate Illinois Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 2:30 pm
- It is not just where the criminally insane will be housed -
I vote in the Capitol. We’ll see some of the fastest appropriating in history. Or they’ll fit right in. Toss up.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 2:33 pm
Blame the Republican’s ,since when do they wheeled
any power.Now he can fumble the gaming bill, and blame Blago. His word is his bond. Remember his 1%
tax increase that doubled.
Comment by mokenavince Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 2:36 pm
Selling the land that Tinley Park facility sits on would bring in big bucks and put some prime property back on the tax rolls in Cook Co and Tinley Park so I think closing it would be a good idea. Plus it helps that it’s in a Dem area. Yes some facilities will have to close. I just wish that we could count on leadership in DC to get the economy back on track but that’s not going to happen anytime soon. It’s starting to look like we can write of 2012 as far as any improvements with the economy or budgets.
Comment by Fed up Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 2:38 pm
what about laying of the steady stream of people the “gov’s office” just showing up at IDOT for a job to be determined later
Comment by spidad Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 2:55 pm
Remember when some of us said that in addition to a tax increase there were going to have to be painful cuts? Welcome to painful cuts, with more to come since Medicaid and Group Insurance are under-appoped in ‘12 by a billion or more.
This is the reality we are in people: there is no where near enough money in the pot to keep doing all that we have been doing, much less pay off the old bills. At least PQ is making efforts to address that. His predecessor simply ignored it. Don’t like these cuts? Maybe you will like the next list better; it’s coming.
Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 3:07 pm
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 1:24 pm:
“47th Ward, you’re goofy.”
Concur. But Quinn is.
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 3:09 pm
Paul:
I could be wrong, but Dixon Correctional Center has the “X” wing, which houses some of the worst of the worst psychotic inmates the state has to offer…also maximum…which doesn’t diminish the fact that it too will be over crowded should any be sent there. Plus, just two years ago, a prison doctor was brutally raped there…not a good thing.
Comment by Captain Illini Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 3:12 pm
STL - we don’t agree on much, but you are spot-on.
Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 3:14 pm
PQ proposes to close a prison in DOC. Maybe someone should ask him why his administration just entered in to a 3 year contract with a number of community colleges to provide post-secondary education to inmates. And this contract includes 3% raises per year.
So we are going to close institutions for the mentally disabled, while we continue to provide a free college education to convicts. Talk about misplaced priorities. Something is seriously wrong with state government in Illinois.
Comment by southern illinoisan Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 4:14 pm
AFSCME’s claim that there are “no facilities like these” is false. There are plenty of community based agencies.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 4:35 pm
==We need a systematic, well-reasoned approach to reducing the state’s budget==
Um, wasn’t Bill Brady the one that proposed across-the-board cuts when he was running for Governor? I’m not sure what is well-reasoned about that. Just sayin . . .
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 4:37 pm
OneMan,
Elgin MHC is NOT a max security facility. It is a “forensics” facility for northern Illinois, meant to house those charged with crimes while they are being evaluated for fitness to stand trial. Many who are found unfit (UST) or not guilty/insance (NGRI) remain @ EMHC for the duration provided they behave themselves. For those who act out or become violent - Chester MHC bound they will be.
As a state employee, I am not upset with the wage freeze. Many more in the state/country are not working and struggling. I am blessed. If I end up laid off the loss of a small raise now won’t mean much, will it?
Comment by dupage dan Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 4:41 pm
There are millions of dollars being spent every year that are questionable. I gave one example regarding college funding for inmates in DOC. I am sure there are more. The point I am making is that we need to look at the priorities here. I am not sure that Pat Quinn or many of the members of the GA have a clue as to some of the spending that could be reduced or eliminated with very little pain.
Comment by southern illinoisan Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 4:41 pm
- Demoralized - Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 4:37 pm:
==We need a systematic, well-reasoned approach to reducing the state’s budget==
Um, wasn’t Bill Brady the one that proposed across-the-board cuts when he was running for Governor? I’m not sure what is well-reasoned about that. Just sayin . . .
================
In light of the political realities of this state, there is no way at this time a reasoned approach to budget cutting, including the elimination of departments of questionable use, or projects with no return on investment or needing longterm taxpayer subsidies can be cut. Perhaps, just perhaps, an across the board cut can bridge the gap until we can get a reasoned discourse.
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 4:45 pm
Cincy:
That’s fine, but even with an across the board cut you are still likely going to have to close facilities and do exactly what Quinn is recommending. I’m not sure why people are so shocked about this action. He cut where he cut because those are the areas that did not include enough money.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 4:48 pm
I don’t agree, “Demoralized”. As a matter of fact, AFSCME will make the point of state employees being laid off before contractual staff. This will be another shredding of the contract by PQ that will ultimately be overturned in court costing the state millions in unnecessary legal fees.
Comment by southern illinoisan Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 4:55 pm
This is just ridiculous. At this point, the Illinois economy, state services, and us state employees are like a (I’ll be polite) big human dropping continually circling the bowl, waiting to get sucked into the sewer.
Comment by Concerned Voter Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 5:03 pm
Anon:
There are no community based facilities that replace those hospitals. Community mental health facilities tend to give outpatient treatment.Sometimes they supply group housing with minimal supervision. They also evaluate people in mental health crisis to determine if they are a danger to themselves or others.
People that are evaluated to be a danger to themselves or others are committed in state hospitals as inpatients.
If all the state beds are full, sometimes to private hospitals that have psychiatric units. There are not enough private hospitals to replace the beds in those hospitals slated to be closed. Now there are times when not a single psychiatric bed is available in the state.
There are a few state mental hospitals that have forensic units. Their purpose is to house people that have committed crimes but have been found incompetent to stand trial. Then treat those individuals to make them competent to stand trial. One difference with forensic units is that a court order for treatment that requires the administering of medications goes with the patient.
A person that has ether been involuntarily or voluntarily committed cannot be forced to take medications.
Comment by Paul Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 5:04 pm
To anon, chester is the only max mental health facility, but other sites have units that are forensic.also there was a case that was holding lisa madigan in contempt, by not placing people for evaluations…
Comment by ironman Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 5:04 pm
he has said all along that a borrowing plan was necessary to pay down the backlog. everybody agrees that its wrong to allow vendors to carry the state’s burden. but what would the republicans have him do? he can’t close facilities and cut jobs. he can’t reform the pension system. he can’t providers to save the state money (health alliance). they won’t let him borrow. And when he raises taxes, he is driving all business from the state. seriously, when will these legislators grow up and make some decisions based on whats best for the state and not whats in their best interest for the next election? this is getting really pathetic.
i definitely see this as a move to force legislators to pass his borrowing plan. i don’t blame him for having to go this route, but i wish our “leaders” could be more statesman like, and less partisan.
Comment by anon Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 5:29 pm
Belated post: I was at the press conference today. I thought Quinn did a very good job of staying on message, i.e. The General Assembly did not provide enough funds to run these facilities for 12 months, so the Governor needs to manage the situation and make these closures. Quinn said more than once that the GA can’t walk away from what they voted on in May.
He didn’t really ramble at all, to my surprise and I believe the surprise of others sitting near me. You can’t see much when you are behind the row of TV cameras, but shifting around I could tell that Quinn was making an effort to limit his asides. One of the press people brought up the Justice Holmes quote and Quinn couldn’t resist himself in pointing out the source and approximate date.
I thought that the aspirin quip was folksy and was an adept way to avoid answering a hypothetical (something like “What will you do if the legislature fails to act?”).
His staff off to the left were another story. They were smirking, gossiping, checking their smart phones, not seeming to be paying attention to Quinn’s performance. The blonde woman seemed quite pleased to bring the questions to an end. Which was unfortunate since Quinn was nearly half an hour late in taking the podium.
I’ve seen Quinn in the same room before and this time he appeared more confident and controlled. He seemed sincere in the way that politicians do- Yes, I really am going to close these places down. Who knows what he is really thinking.
The talk about moving residents with developmental disabilities to community care was the one point where he didn’t seem confident. He couldn’t remember the name of the woman he appointed to manage the Howe closure, for example.
I was surprised none of the reporters asked the obvious question “Where does the money for community care come from?”, which could have led to a more typical display of rambling.
Comment by DuPage Dave Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 7:08 pm
Quinn spoke about Phase 1 (cancelled raises) and Phase 2 (today’s announcement). More is coming.
Comment by Emily Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 7:08 pm
Has anyone Heard from Jay Hoffman
and Kyle “EDDIE” Anderson
concerning their Ideas how to save
the State Monies
They Really served and Help the Citizens
of Madison County and State of Illinois / NOT !!!
Where are they getting ready for another
press conference
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 7:08 pm
–In light of the political realities of this state, there is no way at this time a reasoned approach to budget cutting, including the elimination of departments of questionable use, or projects with no return on investment or needing longterm taxpayer subsidies can be cut.–
What a insightful, fact-filled comment. Line it up, dude, or you’re just blowing gas.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 9:16 pm
===Ok I asked a simple question for people on this blog with insight and it got deleted now i am seriously paranoid because Ik Rich doesn’t work that way. Icc? Utilities? Any connection? AHHHHHHH! ===
You were deleted because you used profanity. You will be deleted again for being a paranoid freak. Just sayin…
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 10:00 pm
Nice, Quinn gets to weasel out of union contracts and his own promises while the ILRB forces unsustainable raises on local governments who don’t get to pull a Quinn on their contracts.
Comment by Shemp Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 10:32 pm
sell the DuQuion State fairgrounds and the governor mansion on it and also sell the state owned location for world shooting complex first
Comment by meme Friday, Sep 9, 11 @ 7:20 am