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I missed this column in today’s Star Newspapers by outdoor writer Bob Macilius.
It is virtually certain that the Springfield bureaucracy expected some reaction to Governor Blagojevich’s evisceration of the Illinois Department of Conservation, but I doubt they had prepared for what’s happening.From Cairo to Winthrop Harbor, Illinoisans are livid with the cuts in staff, programs and services which the Governor claims were necessitated by the budget crisis. Petitions are being circulated at sports shows, organizations are pooling their resources to oppose planned budget cuts, even groups which rarely work together have joined the rush to have and programs and personnel cuts be rescinded.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 27, 05 @ 2:48 pm
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Pantagraph EditorialSaturday, January 22, 2005
Reversal of DNR staff cuts deserves consideration
At least two proposals have surfaced to reverse the layoffs of 89 employees of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. They deserve prompt consideration.
About 500 jobs have been cut in the past three years, nearly 30 percent of the workforce. They include experienced professionals with at least 18 years of service.
When layoffs occur on that scale and affect people with that much experience, more than “warm bodies” are lost. The institutional memory of those people and their in-depth knowledge of the area is also lost.
No one needs to be reminded that the state is in financial trouble and cuts have to be made in some areas. But it is deceitful of Gov. Rod Blagojevich to claim that the public will not notice these cuts.
For example, the cuts have resulted in reduced guided hikes and operating hours at Starved Rock Visitors Center — which is among Illinois’ most-visited state parks — and the closing of the Spring Grove Hatchery in northern Illinois. Among jobs that have been cut are the site superintendent and a security officer at Clinton Lake. Moraine View State Park also lost a security officer.
These actions run counter to the governor’s announced intentions to promote more Illinois tourism. You don’t promote tourism by cutting back on services to tourists.
It is estimated about $2 million is needed to reverse the most recent cuts, which took effect Jan. 14.
House Bill 214 would direct that $2 million from the Wildlife and Fish Fund be used to restore those 89 jobs. Money in the fund comes from hunting and fishing fees, making this an appropriate use of user fees — unlike other user fee diversions the governor has attempted. It currently has a $23 million surplus.
The bill has bipartisan support. It was introduced by Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline. The chief co-sponsors are Reps. Paul Froelich, R-Schaumburg ,and William Black, R-Danville. [Ed.: Bradley and Phelps too.]
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed a more wide-ranging approach to protect DNR staffing and other conservation programs. He wants to eliminate a $25 million incentive program that rewards utility companies for buying methane gas. The tax credit dates back to the 1980s. Illinois is the only state offering such a subsidy. The federal government already provides incentives for such purchases.
Under Quinn’s plan $5 million would go for maintaining DNR staffing levels. Another $10 million would go to the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, which Quinn says would leverage $40 million in additional federal funds.
The remaining $10 million would go to the Conservation 2000 program to acquire conservation easements.
The more modest plan offered by Boland’s bill seems to be a better approach. However, an opportunity to capture more federal funds through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program deserves close study.
The continued need for state tax credits to encourage methane gas purchases should be reviewed regardless of whether either of these proposals proceed.
And if the cutbacks are not reversed, the governor should at least admit they will have an impact on park systems and other services offered by DNR.
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Copyright © 2005, Pantagraph Publishing Co. All rights reserved.http://www.pantagraph.com/stories/012205/opi_20050122001.shtml
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 27, 05 @ 3:56 pm
I want to thank you for giving my blog a plug a couple of weeks ago, my readership increased and it seems Alderman Moore took your advice and started offering some action for Morse Avenue.
I will be following his promises every step of the way.
The keyboard and camera is my sword. Who knew blogging could have such a powerful effect on a community?
Comment by Craig Friday, Jan 28, 05 @ 6:27 am
I’m going to be drummed out of my recent membership of the Sierra Club for these comments, but let’s get real. I’m also not a Blago fan by any means, and I haven’t been given any talking points. I voted for Vallas and wish he were our governor.
Like Gov. Elvis, I haven’t been to a state park in a few years too. I think I last went to Starved Rock three or four years ago. Years ago when I was young and single, I used to go to Lake Clinton (and Weldon Springs State Park) with a friend who had a sailboat moored there. I still don’t own a sailboat, although I’d love to have one. I do have three kids - one of whom is in public school and two who will likely follow the oldest there.
As long as Blago doesn’t start the federal Healthy Forest program of paving and clear cutting the Illinois state parks, I can live with these cuts of Republican patronage jobs in the short term. It isn’t a quality of life issue or an environmental catastrophe to not have a Repubglican patronage employee giving me a guided tour at Starved Rock.
A couple posts below, you talked about vital waterfowl surveys? Vital to whom? Hunters who want to know how many there are so they can go shoot them?
Southern Illinois relies on its parks as part of its economy? As a suburbanite, I’m very tired of subsidizing southern Illinois (and Chicago, but that’s another story). I don’t go to southern Illinois, haven’t been there in years and wouldn’t live there if you paid me.
I’m sorry, but all the outdoor writers and outdoorsmen - hunters, fishermen and yes, Virginia, boaters - can live with increased fees if they want to whine about decreased services to them at state parks.
Want another way to restore the cuts at IDNR? Let’s start by raising the absurdly low FOID fee and dedicate that for state parks. Maybe a FOID card should cost as much as my drivers license and license plates. In fact, a FOID should cost more than those two combined.
Instead of vital waterfowl surveys, I’m worried about public education. I’m worried that it takes a month or more for the state crime lab to turn around evidence on violent crime.
And when it comes to birds, I’m worried that the state turned away hundreds of dead birds that local and county folks wanted tested for West Nile - a disease that kills elderly people - because the state didn’t have the money or capacity.
/rant
Comment by FlakCat Friday, Jan 28, 05 @ 8:22 am
FlakKat is right. Agree or disagree with the Governor on the DNR stuff, the bottom line is many of these folks who claim they are “apolitical conservation professionals” didn’t just end up in these jobs because they were superbly qualified.
They ended up there because they knew someone and because they MAY have been qualified. Honestly, that’s fine, but they should be prepared to deal with the consequences when the landscape changes.
As for the outdoor writers, many of them live in some faraway land where there are still Unicorns and Red Bulls. I doubt they’ll see any higher pollution levels or poorer fishing/hunting conditions because of the changes at IDNR.
It amazes the reverence with which most of the outdoor folks hold the previous DNR director. Most of the people (particularly the old budget folks) inside DNR knew the previous DNR Director used just about every “excess” resource possible to take care of his own place down on the Chandlerville-Beardstown blacktop (including rocking his own entry road with SiteM material) when they were building SiteM. They also knew that he took full advantage of the Conservation Foundation for travel and other perks, which is why the Speaker has major problems with such Foundations.
To somehow suggest that a small (and it really is propotionally) reduction in personnel at DNR in anyway diminshes the administration’s commitment to land use, conservation and tourism is to buy the spin being given out by those who benefited from 30 years of GOP largesse.
If that sounds partisan or scripted, so be it.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 28, 05 @ 11:32 am
The actions being taken by “Governor Press Releaseavich” and his recruits from New York and California have no regard for Illinois agencies, programs or people they attempt manage. To suggest his terminations are a result of a budget crises is laughable. They conistently hire unqualified people and then terminate professionals. The programs and services suffer. The contracts they award deserve MUCH scutiny. Looking forward to the results of the Federal, Cook County, AND AG’s investigations.
I also wonder who Milorad will “throw under the bus” when they point out contracts are not delivering anything for a very high price to “friends”.
I realize that, as Flatcat pointed out, If you are in the City of Chicago or the suburbs, these issues do not really matter. I supsect the Blago polling numbers bear this out.
The prior comment that the staff at IDNR who are being fired are political minnions must have been written by Governer Tusk himself. There are not a tremendous amount of republican Biologists walking precints in “Donwstate” Illinois, rather, in most cases they are profesional people who could care less about state politics.
The parks are a great economic engine for all of Illinois. The professional staff who run and manage these parks are providing a valuable service, even to those in “upstate” Illinois.
This administration has no regard for the truth when just well spun and dishonest press release will do. Please don’t take my word for it, just read Tusks writings in which he tells readers how do lie, cheat and steal to get ahead in life. sjr-Schoenberg 1/23/05 It’s a classic!
Cap Fax indicated that the Governor has never been to a park or a prison. I suspect he’s not been to any agency he pretends to manage. Agencies are simply tools for publicity to this climber. I think the only time he’s been into the Statton Office building is when he scurried through under ground tunnels to hide from angry, protesting ASCME union members sporting T-shirts that read “Voted For Rod & Got The SHAFT”
I can only hope that others will see through the smoke and mirrors. I agree with Jesse White, Milorad is a liar.
Comment by Anonymous Saturday, Jan 29, 05 @ 2:08 pm