Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

[:@]

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

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

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

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

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

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

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

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

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.

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

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.

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

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!

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

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...:eek:

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

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"...:D:D

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

Yep, it has now reached the point that if i wanted to bow and gun hunt my own land for deer and turkey, i would have to shell out about 900 bucks in NR fees. And it is good to know that the money would be going for jogging trails and fixing potholes in Cook County.

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

SOLOCAMCAN
There is a Law called THE HUNTING HERITAGE ACT where the state cannot take away public hunting areas without replaceing it with other acreage it's called "NO NET LOSS PROVISION. So just because they layoff the help doesn't mean you can't hunt it.

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

This guy has got to go, unfortunately, looks like where going to have to put up with him a little while longer unless someone can catch him taking bribes or something along those lines. I think we need to fight to hold on to what we have until we can get someone new in there. I wish we could just snap our fingers and have this sh*t head out of there. Man do I have this guy!

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

Rules and laws do not apply to this scum sucking leech!

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

next he will lease out State Parks to outfitters or only allow you to hunt if you vote for him:D

Probably shouldnt joke about it knowing him

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

Are you not eligible for non-residentland owner permits? I'm not sure, but i would think youshould be. As far as Rod goes, he has been raping Illinois Sportsman since he took office. As sad as this is, it is no real surprise. When your own party won't even mention your name at their nominating convention and thenominee is from your state, it speaks volumes.

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

You gotta own 40 acres or more to qualify. I've only got 29 acres. I would like to see the regulations reformed so that Illinois is more like Ohio where one can hunt their own land for free no matter what the acreage. But, considering the price of NR permits, I don't see it happening.

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

Didn't realize there was a minimum acreage requirement. I agree there shouldn't be, but you're exactly right about Illinois needing as much NR money as it can get it's hands on. It goes back to what our Governor has been doing to the IDNR budget. I remember when this piece of work was campaigning down here (apparently, it was the first time he had ever been outside of Chicago!) he acted like he was going to be a "Sportsman friendly" Governor. We see how that turned out. If there is a God in Heaven, we won't have to put up with him after 2010. Sooner if we can get him impeached.

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

I'm emailing all of my friends and family who don't visit this site so they can be aware of what Rod is doing. The only solution is to get enough people awareof his activities. That can change the vote right there.

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

[quote]ORIGINAL: lifesadrag

Rules and laws do not apply to this scum sucking leech!
[

/I hear ya. and yes he could lease it out to an outfitter. The piece of S##t

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

In the original read, it stated as of Nov. 1 they will belocking the gates to these parks and anyone caught tresspassing will be arrested, ticketed. etc. SO does this not apply to hunters?

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

This has got to be the worst news I heard all day and pretty much ruined my weekend. I as I open up the the paper and found out that the muzzleloader tag that I got in the mail for HIDDEN SPRINGS a couple of weeks agohas good chance that it will not be valid come muzzleloader season because of cut backs is pretty sh***ty to me andto all that hunt and vist these parks. While our so called Gov. is in Denver Col. talking about what the stupid Dems are going to do for us. (I call Bullsh***T.) and should be here working to figure out a solutions, so these people who work at these parks and have families can keep there jobs to provide for there family.

At least with Ryan we still had rights and a CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS to hunt and enjoy our parks.

Nick Stewart
One P***ss off Ilionian

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

SOLOCAMCAN
I'm not a lawyer, it sounds like they are making it up as they go, which is no surprise from this state

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

SOLOCAMCAN
I looked up the Ill SENATE BILL 2156 Ill Hunting Heritage Act you will have to read it for yourself. Or I guess we could as BLOGIV#%$& or what ever he is the one that signed it into law to explain it to us. That's a laugh. Post it on here and see what others think if you like.makes a guy wonder who is ****ti%$ who.

RE: Blago closes parks, lays off 450 workers
 

Well boys, I left that great state of Illinois 3 years ago for the greater state of Arkansas and
will never look back. The deer were bigger thereandmany more crooked politicans. We have
to suffer thru lower taxes andlonger deer seasons. Bago is one of the reasons we left up there.
Good luck on getting him out of office.