Mitchell pushes new legislation as AFSCME jobs threatened

[July 18, 2009]  State Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, called a late morning press conference in the parking lot at the Logan Correctional Center. Mitchell was on hand to state that in response to Gov. Pat Quinn's proposal to release prisoners from the Department of Corrections early for budgetary reasons, he is proposing legislation to stop their release.

Mitchell outlined his legislative initiatives aimed at stopping the early release of prisoners and finding budget savings for DOC.

Mitchell's proposed legislation had three points:

1. Repeal the electronic home monitoring and furlough provisions of the DOC code under which the governor would execute his early release plan.

2. Provide that prisoners who do not perform jobs may not receive any "unassigned pay" allowance.

3. Remove all double-exempt DOC employees (except the director).

In his prepared statement, Mitchell said: "Even in the best of times, it is bad public policy to release prisoners early. In times like these, it is sheer idiocy. I don't know if the governor still plans on going through with this, so I'm filing my legislation in opposition to any such release of prisoners."

Mitchell's legislation would repeal the Electronic Home Detection Law, which grants the DOC the discretion to release certain classes of prisoners within certain specified time frames. In the statement Mitchell said that the governor indicated he would direct DOC to release nonviolent and low-level offenders under this statutory authority.

Additionally Mitchell wants to repeal the law that enables DOC to grant furloughs of up to 14 days for prisoners.

To provide cost savings for DOC, Mitchell is proposing that prisoners who are not assigned work in a correctional facility employment program shall receive no compensation. It is DOC's current practice to pay certain prisoners who are not assigned work the sum of $10 per month in "unassigned pay."

Mitchell is also pushing to remove all double-exempt DOC employees, with the exception of the director of the department. 

Mitchell concluded, "Anything we can do to save some money within (the Department of) Corrections will help to keep prisoners locked up and protect the jobs of rank-and-file employees."

After his statement Mitchell talked further about his concerns with the potential loss of 160 jobs at the two local prisons. He said he had a meeting in his office earlier this week where he met with and discussed those concerns with AFSCME workers.

Mitchell said he believed the number of political patronage, double-exempt jobs in the state numbered 830 and noted that of the 2,500 state positions currently earmarked for potential layoffs, not one of the patronage jobs is in jeopardy at this time.  

Double-exempt employees are higher-ranking employees whose jobs are considered political patronage appointments. And, this refers to people named to jobs between Jan. 11, 1999, and Jan. 29, 2009 -- the years when first George Ryan and then Rod Blagojevich served as governor. 

Mitchell, who voted "no" on the temporary budget, said that the General Assembly didn't do its duty, nor did the governor, and that Illinois citizens deserve to be safe, with criminals remaining in prison where they belong.

"DOC took a big hit," Mitchell said. "These people provide an important and valuable service. Of the 2,500 employees on the list for layoff, almost all are union employees, with the Department of Corrections carrying the brunt of those potential layoffs at almost 1,000.

"The problem with our budget is not prison employees. Our state Medicaid has gone from $7 billion to $15 billion in the last 6 1/2 years under the Democrats."

Mitchell also noted that Illinois spent $500 million for health care for illegal immigrants. Pointing out other excesses in spending, Mitchell said, "We have the largest airline fleet in the nation. We have 1,000 job vacancies being funded. Why then lay off people? I don't understand what Gov. Quinn is doing."

Mitchell noted that the Democratic Party has control of the legislature and said a budget should have been an easy thing for them to do with a plurality, but in-fighting among Chicago Democrats has again caused a fiscal year to go by without a budget in place on time.

Roger Griffith, staff representative for AFSCME Council 31, appreciated that Mitchell came to Lincoln and his concern for prison employees, as well as voting "no" on the temporary budget, but felt blame for the situation could fall at the feet of both parties.

"There is no quick fix," he said. "They (the General Assembly) need to get back into town now. Jobs will be lost by September. Morale is at an all-time low. People are upset, sad. Their jobs are on the line here."

Dale Ridgeway, an AFSCME representative as well as an officer at Lincoln Correctional, said that the prisons have been short-staffed for five years.  Mitchell added that the state spent $100 million in overtime costs in the past year alone.

No prison officials attended the press conference.

[LDN staff]