A Weekly Update on Issues with Illinois State Senator Gary Forby...

The end of May is the time of year that the General Assembly usually works on big issues.  There’s a lot on our plate this year with the governor pushing Medicaid reform and pension reform, in addition to a balanced budget.  I believe all of us want a balanced budget—where we disagree is how to balance it.  One issue that has drawn a lot of attention here in Southern Illinois is state park funding.

First off, let me say that I believe we need to find a way to keep state parks open and available to the public—and do it in a way that won’t keep people away from the many parks here in Southern Illinois.  Parks and Wildlife Areas like Giant City, Ferne Clyffe, Cave-in-Rock, and Rend Lake draw tourists to our area from all over Illinois and all over the Midwest.  They bring local businesses much-needed customers, and they give everyone access to Illinois’ natural beauty.

Unfortunately, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has seen its budget repeatedly slashed—even before the Great Recession began in 2008.  The men and women who work for DNR have done a great job doing more with less, but anyone who’s visited a park in the last few years has seen the effects of budget cuts.  Realistically, the best we can hope to do is hold the line and prevent further cuts to DNR funding.  Even that may be difficult this year, with major cuts proposed in almost every area—including K-12 education spending, public safety, and more.  I will fight for Southern Illinois state parks and do what I can to make sure things don’t get worse, but it’s going to be a tough year, and Chicago-area legislators often seem more than willing to cut funding for things like agriculture and state parks.

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A Weekly Update on Issues with Illinois State Senator Gary Forby... 

Last week, I called for a vote on my legislation that would have given the General Assembly a voice in the state service center closure process.  I was frustrated that a group from the other side of the aisle joined forces with Governor Pat Quinn and other Chicago politicians to defeat my plan, which came up just one vote short.

Ever since the governor gave his budget speech in February, I have been fighting to keep open important state facilities that provide important services and serve as the backbone of the economy in areas with high unemployment rates like Alexander County.  In particular, I’ve been fighting for Tamms Correctional Center, which keeps the worst of the worst out of the general population where they have a history of assaulting guards and other inmates, and for Murray Developmental Center in Centralia, which is the only state-run facility in Southern Illinois that provides families with care for their loved ones with developmental disabilities.  Since Tamms was built, violence in Illinois’ overcrowded prisons has dropped, and the waiting list for space in Murray is more than 3,000 long.

To protect these facilities—and others—from the whims of Illinois governors, I introduced a plan that would allow the General Assembly to vote before any service center closes.  Considering these facilities provide important services, cost millions of dollars to build and maintain, and provide thousands of jobs in places like Alexander County, I think letting any one person have the authority to close them is dangerous and short-sighted.  The people elect state senators and representatives to give them a voice, and we should have a say in facility closures.

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A Weekly Update on Issues with Illinois State Senator Gary Forby... 

Last week, the ongoing debate about whether or not to close several major state service centers took another turn.  A bipartisan legislative committee made up of members of the Illinois Senate and House voted to accept or reject the governor’s plans to close Tamms Correctional Center, Murray Developmental Center, and several other state facilities.  The good news for Southern Illinois is that the committee rejected Governor Pat Quinn of Chicago’s plans for Tamms and Murray.  The bad news is that their recommendation isn’t legally binding.

Years ago, the governor had the authority to close state service centers without even consulting the legislators who represent the people who depend on their services or who live nearby.  Everyone thought that this situation wasn’t fair, so the General Assembly passed a law requiring the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability—a bipartisan legislative commission that deals with the budget—to hold hearings and make recommendations whenever a facility employs more than 25 people.

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