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Update on the Thomson Correctional Facility
As you may already know, I serve on the Commission of
Government Forecasting & Accountability (COGFA) that was required to hold
a hearing regarding about the closure of the Thomson Correctional Facility. COGFA is a bipartisan, bicameral
legislative panel. We recently
held a hearing in Sterling, Illinois and after almost seven hours of
testimony, COGFA voted to support the closure of Thomson. The State of Illinois is exploring the
option of selling the facility to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to house not
only federal prisoners but, potentially, detainees from Guantanamo Bay.
I felt it was important to show legislative support
for the closure of the facility and the COGFA vote allowed this to
happen. I supported the closure
of the facility mainly because of its economic impacts to Illinois and its
residents. It is currently
costing the State (and taxpayers) $1 million dollars to maintain an empty
facility. It is estimated that in
the first year, the modification, opening, and running of the facility will
generate between 2,290 and 2,960 jobs in the seven-county area. Local residents will be excellent
candidates for these jobs and in the first year, total earnings will increase
by between $131 million and $185 million.
My Legislative Agenda for 2010
Eliminating the Cook County ROE
Last May I introduced legislation (House
Bill 4855) to eliminate the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of
Education (ROE). My goal in
pursuing this legislation was first and foremost to assure that our suburban
schools get the services they need in an efficient and effective manner.
The ROE was established to provide essential services
for school districts including: teacher certifications, life/safety
inspections of schools and financial oversight – all of which are
critically important for our education system.
With the recent arrest of Dr. Charles Flowers, I plan
to re-introduce this legislation and working on the possibility of
transforming the ROE into something that will work for both schools and
taxpayers.
Governance of the Cook County Forest Preserve
I also plan to re-introduce legislation regarding the
Forest Preserve District of Cook County that would allow them to have a
separate Board of Commissioners.
Currently, the Forest Preserve District is governed by the Cook County
Board – the same board that oversees the largest integrated court
system in the country and the second largest health system. I believe separating
the boards will eliminate the conflicts of interest inherent in the current
system of governance and allow for better oversight of the Forest Preserve
District. Supporters of this
legislation include: Friends of the Forest Preserve, The Civic Federation,
and The Sierra Club.
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