JG-TC.com > News > Vote on IDOT move likely next week

TODAY'S HEADLINES

SPECIAL SECTION

ONLINE POLL

ONLINE EXTRAS

SITE TOOLS

OTHER LINKS

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Thursday, August 7, 2008 9:33 PM CDT
Vote on IDOT move likely next week

By MIKE RIOPELL, JG/T-C Springfield Bureau

SPRINGFIELD — The continuing controversy over Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s plan to move jobs from Springfield to southern Illinois could inch closer to a conclusion next week.

It’s then that a panel of lawmakers could vote on the proposal, choosing to recommend whether or not the governor should proceed. He wants to move 136 Illinois Department of Transportation jobs from Springfield to Harrisburg.

Lawmakers on the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, as well as staff for the group, say a vote could come Tuesday.

“I think they anticipate the vote,” said Jim Muschinske, revenue manager for the commission. “Nothing’s set in stone.”

A vote would follow months of controversy surrounding the proposal, as well as an hours-long hearing last week. Springfield-area workers say losing their jobs would be devastating.

Pontiac Correctional Center workers are facing a similar controversy, with Blagojevich’s talk of closing the prison.

A hearing on that plan was scheduled for Tuesday, but Blagojevich called lawmakers back to Springfield for a special session on education funding and a statewide construction plan.

The panel could have voted on the IDOT transfer at the similarly contentious meeting in Pontiac. Now, it appears that decision will happen in Springfield.

No matter what they decide, Blagojevich has already called the IDOT move a “done deal,” though court challenges could result if the commission recommends against the plan and the governor pushes on anyway.

Thursday, Blagojevich spokesman Brian Williamsen wouldn’t say what the administration plans to do following an upcoming vote.

“We will look forward to getting the commission’s recommendation,” he said.

Add your comments

*Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login? (requires cookies)
	Forgot Your Password?

Not already registered?
Then click Here.

Comment policy:

JG-TC.com encourages readers to engage in civil conversation with their neighbors. Comments that are submitted are not posted to the site immediately. They go into a queue to be moderated and may take several hours to be reviewed. Comments posted on Saturday may not be reviewed until Sunday afternoon.

In order to keep the page a set width, long lines (mostly long links) will be chopped. Try putting spaces in your links or consider using tinyurl.com to make a smaller link that you can include.

We will never edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to remove comments that violate our code of conduct.

No comment may contain:

* Potentially libelous statements; such as accusing somebody of a crime, defamation of character, or statements that can harm somebody's reputation.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults, threats, harassment or inciting violence.
* Commercial product promotions.

If you have any questions, please contact our moderator.