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State to lay off 450 and close parks and historic sites
By Kurt Erickson
[email protected]



UPDATED 2:20 p.m. SPRINGFIELD -- The Blagojevich administration is planning to lay off more than 450 workers and close nearly two dozen state parks and historic sites in response to the state’s lingering budget impasse.

One union official described the plan as a ’’bloodbath’’ that will have wide-ranging effects on the services provided to state taxpayers.

The Department of Children and Family Services will lose 304 workers, while the Department of Human Services will be cut by 73 employees. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will lose 39 workers and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency will be cut by 34 employees.

Parks targeted for closure include Moraine View State Park near LeRoy, Hidden Springs State Forest in Shelby County and Weldon Springs State Park in DeWitt County.

Historic sites that will close include the David Davis Mansion in Bloomington, Lincoln Log Cabin near Charleston, the Bryant Cottage in Bement, the Cahokia Courthouse in Cahokia and Bishop Hill.

The cuts hit tree sites in Randolph County -- Fort Kaskaskia, Fort de Chartres and the Pierre Menard Home.

The historic sites will close Oct. 1 while parks will close Nov. 1.

Blagojevich has said the cuts are necessary because the governor slashed $1.4 billion from the state’s spending plan in July. He says the Democrat-controlled legislature wanted to spend more money than the state will receive in the coming fiscal year.

State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, said the governor is trying to force the General Assembly to return to Springfield to approve new revenue streams.

’’I know he’s trying to make people feel the pain,’’ Luechtefeld said.

Jonathan Goldman, director of the Illinois Environmental Council, called the cuts ’’utterly appalling.’’

’’The governor is off at the Democratic convention in Denver hugging people. When he returns to Illinois there will be many families needing more than hugs,’’ Goldman said.

DNR spokesman Chris McCloud said park entrances will be locked Nov. 1. People who venture into the parks after that date could be charged with trespassing.

’’These aren’t decisions we wanted to make,’’ McCloud said.

The cuts come as other state agencies are grappling with the effects of the governor’s actions.

On Wednesday, Comptroller Dan Hynes said his office was poised to lay off workers. Other statewide officers have imposed hiring freezes and are asking whether some workers want to take early retirement in a bid to trim costs.

Secretary of State Jesse White is mulling whether to close some driver’s license facilities.

Blagojevich also has tied his plan to close Pontiac Correctional Center to the budget impasse.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union vowed to fight to keep its workers on the job.

’’Lawmakers should return to Springfield as soon as possible to take whatever action is necessary to fix the budget and stop these cuts,’’ AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Henry Bayer said.

The cuts at the Department of Natural Resources are troubling to some lawmakers because the agency has already lost scores of workers.

’’It’s obviously unfortunate,’’ said state Rep. Kurt Granberg, D-Carlyle.

Granberg, who is retiring as a lawmaker, said it will be a challenge rebuilding the state park system if money is ever restored to reopen them.

’’It’s going to be a hard road,’’ Granberg said.


List of parks and historic sites closing

The following Illinois State Parks will close effective November 1:

Castle Rock State Park, Oregon

Lowden State Park, Oregon

Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, Sheffield

Illini State Park, Marseilles

Wolf Creek State Park, Windsor

Channahon Parkway State Park, Channahon

Gebhard Woods State Park, Morris

Hidden Springs State Forrest, Strasburg

Kickapoo State Park, Oakwood

Moraine View State Park, LeRoy

Weldon Springs State Park, Clinton

Historic sites closing

Following are Illinois state historic sites that will be shuttered Oct. 1 as part of the state's budget woes:

Dana Thomas House, Springfield

Hauberg Indian Museum at Blackhawk State Historic Site, Quad-Cities

Lincoln Log Cabin, Lerna

David Davis Mansion, Bloomington

Fort de Chartres, Randolph County

Vandalia Statehouse, Vandalia

Bishop Hill, Henry County

Carl Sandburg, Galesburg

Cahokia Courthouse, Cahokia

Bryant Cottage, Bement

Jubilee College, Peoria County

Apple River Fort, Elizabeth

Fort Kaskaskia, Randolph County

Pierre Menard Home, Randolph County

SOURCES: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency; Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Lanse couche couche

Good to see that they have made good use of all those NR deer permits being sold at 400 bucks a pop.

lifesadrag

He did.....more funds to pillage!

sjsfire

I've said it once, I'll say it again. This guy is the biggest idiot to ever occupy a public office in Illinois.

solocamcan

Well isn't this just peaches....last week I learned that Clinton Lake no longer allows you to leave up a treestand, you MUST carry it in and out everyday....Ok, maybe I can drive 20 more min. and hunt Dawson Lake (Moraine View SP)....Nope, it's closing....Ok, maybe I will drive east then and hunt Kickapoo SP)....Notta, it's also closing. SO my only option is to hunt the private I have permission to hunt 2 hours away, because guess how many hunters will be in the few remaining parks within 45 min. of my house due to this BS? To many for me to even want to deal with. Rob Blowitbitch needs removed.

Lady Forge

THATS IT.......GOVERNOR BLO HAS GOT TO GO!!!!!!!!!!I ONLY WISH WE HAD A SMILEY WITH A ROPE.
WE HAVE GOT TO GET THIS COMPLETE MORON OUT OF OFFICE.
FIRST WE HADA LIEING,THIEVING GOVERNOR AND NOW WE HAVE A GOVERNOR WILLING TO RAPE OUR STATE AND ALL ITS STATE FUNDS.
HOW MUCH WAS THE COST FOR HIS PLANE TO FLY HIM TO THE STATE CAPITOL PER TRIP $5,500.00????
WE NEED IT START THE LAYOFFS WITH THE PILOT OF HIS PLANE!
IAM SOANGERED AT THIS POINT THATI CANT EVEN TYPE ANYMORE.

uncle matt

Gov Blowboj just said this week, "I am a great govenor."

The only people who believe that poop is him, his wife and the idiot he sees in the mirror.

I'm just stick with the old Hank Jr. line..........

"I'd like to spit some BeechNut in that dudes eye."

Our state parks and lands are experiencingusage atan all time high.

I hope that dirtbag buddy of his Rezko is talking himself a good deal with the feds right now and puts the dirt out on this tool by the shovelful!

carpsniper

We need to start the layoffs with the passenger of his plane!!!!

Ryan was a straight up crook. But at least he kept the rest of the state together. The biggest problem is there is no one from either party that can repair the damage done...
I think I can hear Missouri calling...

HunterOpel

COME ON PEOPLE ,BLAGO THE TERRIBLE, NEEDS HIS $6000.00 PRIVATE JET FLIGHTS AND $600.00 HAIR CUTS..
BUT ON THE BRIGHTER SIDE, LOOK AT ALL THE BIG BUCKS THAT WILL BE IN THOSE PARKS NOT GETTING HUNTED WHEN THEY OPEN THEM BACK UP AS SOON AS BLAGO GETS IMPEACHED, WHO ARE WE KIDDING THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN, JUST HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IT UNTIL I CAN MOVE TO MISSOURI OR KANSAS, LOWER TAXES, JUST AS BIG OF DEER AND "NO BLAGO"...

kickin_buck

X2....Funny how the State keeping raising the price and number of NR permits, but still says that they do not have any money to support the State Parks or DNR as a whole. However, I am sure everyone will be glad to hear that about a month ago it was decided to redirect 10 million dollars from hunting and license fees to the rails-to-trails program. At least the anti hunters are recieving good trail to jog on! If there was ever a reason to go back home to Indiana, Blago is it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!