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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Senator Gary Forby passed a resolution renaming Illinois Route 148 between Sesser and Christopher “Army Specialist Travis Picantine Memorial Highway.”  He was joined on the Senate floor by Travis’s mother, Tammie Goessman Severs (right), and his sister, Megan Bowlin (left).

Travis Picantine, originally from Sesser, tragically lost his life in defense of the United States in 2009.  An army specialist, Travis enlisted in 2007.  He served in Afghanistan with the 1-32 Charlie Company, where he won many awards, including the Army Commendation Medal, two Army Achievement Medals with Oak Leaf, the National Defense Medal, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Star.

“Travis Picantine gave the ultimate sacrifice defending our country,” Forby said.  “Renaming part of Route 148 after him is the least we can do to honor his memory.  We all need to thank Travis and the other brave men and women who protect our freedom and our way of life.”

Since Governor Pat Quinn of Chicago introduced his budget plan in February, Senator Gary Forby has been questioning the governor’s decision to close dozens of state service centers and layoff more than 2,000 workers.  Earlier today, he called a vote on his legislative proposal that would give the General Assembly the final say in state facility closures.

“In February, the governor said that he wanted to fire more than 2,000 workers and make it much more difficult for people to get the help they need—especially in Southern and Central Illinois,” Forby said.  “At the same time, he proposed more than $100 million in new spending.  He didn’t even explain why he’d decided to close some facilities and not others.  We shouldn’t be talking about firing people without a plan for dealing with the consequences.  There shouldn’t be any new spending on the table when we are destroying communities like Tamms.  That’s just not right.”

Illinois’ current law grants the bipartisan Committee on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CoGFA), a commission made up of legislators, the right to make recommendations when the governor proposes facility closures.  The governor can ignore them if he wants.

Forby’s legislation gives the General Assembly the right to accept or reject CoGFA’s recommendation.  The governor would not be able to overturn the General Assembly’s decision.

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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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