Part 1

Logan-Mason Rehabilitation Center helps the disabled meet their goals

[MAY 31, 2002]  They live in our community and are often part of our work force, earning salaries and shopping in our local stores. Although most of the time we don’t notice them, the developmentally disabled live beside us and, like the rest of us, strive to do meaningful work, make friends, continue their education and live fulfilling lives.

An agency that helps them meet these goals is the Logan-Mason Rehabilitation Center on South Postville Drive. Its mission statement says: "It is our goal to help people erase the limitations forced upon them by their disabilities. It is our job to create an opportunity for each individual who is ready to take a step toward independence."

As its name states, the center serves clients in Logan and Mason counties — about 300 every weekday. They may live at the Lincoln Developmental Center, in community homes in the two-county area, with their families or on their own.

The outer office at the Postville site doesn’t begin to suggest the hive of activity in the workrooms and classrooms behind it. But about 30 of the most independent of the center’s clients aren’t in these friendly, busy rooms; they are out in the community going to work every day, earning salaries and paying taxes like the rest of us.

"They are in jobs all over town — at the Lincoln College cafeteria, at Lincoln Christian College’s cafeteria, at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital’s kitchen, at Burwell’s Travel Plaza, at Kroger’s, and in various restaurants and nursing homes — wherever their help is needed," says Peggy Ross Jones, who oversees the employment program.

"Our clients are doing real work," she adds emphatically. "We are not making up jobs. They keep their employers happy, and they are happy, too."

They get paid at least minimum wage for their work, and the money they earn is theirs to spend as they please.

[Photos by Joan Crabb]
[Brenda works at the hole cover machine in the regular work program.  She’s putting together a part for Inland Tool of Mt. Pulaski.]

Most of them need some support in their working life, and the center provides this in several ways. For the most independent, there is a monitoring program to see that they continue to do well.

For others there are job coaches who go to the workplace and help the employer train them. These coaches can break down complex instructions into separate steps, help workers keep up with the pace of the job, and find innovative ways to help them follow instructions, such as color-coding parts of tasks for nonreaders.

"Before we had job coaches, we would send people out and hope they would do all right. Sometimes they didn’t. Now we are able to keep people in the same job for years," Peggy says.

For example, about 20 clients have been working with the Lincoln College food service for the last 12 years. These workers always have one or two job coaches on hand to help solve any problems that come up.

"A lot of our people seem able to handle repetitive jobs with specific routines that you or I would get tired of," Peggy says. "They are very valuable to employers who need routine jobs done over and over. They are a real service to the community."

Peggy not only coordinates the employment program, she makes sure all 82 of the center’s staff members stay up to date on their training. All get regular CPR training, and all must meet a state mandate for direct support training, including health, safety, human rights, and abuse and neglect prevention. Staff members who work directly with clients must have 40 hours of classroom training and 80 hours of on-the-job training to meet Department of Human Services requirements.

Peggy calls herself a "behind the desk" person. Another staff member, Vivian Thompson, also spends time behind a desk, coordinating programs to help clients live as independently as possible. She is, among other things, supervisor of community support services, case manager coordinator and coordinator of staffings in the day program. She works with clients who live independently, some who live in CILAs and those who live with their families.

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People with mild disabilities can often live on their own if they have the right kind of support. This might be a homemaker program, help with money management and budgeting, and transportation to and from grocery stores and doctor’s appointments. Vivian sees that they get the services they need to stay independent.

Families who keep their disabled members at home may need help getting away for shopping or a recreational break, and Vivian helps coordinate respite care for them.

Each client who comes to the day program has a caseworker. The caseworker is part of the team that makes an Individual Program Plan for each client, which addresses his or her need for vocational training, education, work and medical needs. Vivian coordinates these teams, too.

Director Gene Frioli has been in charge of the facility for 16 years. He is assisted by Carol McAfee, supervisor of administrative services, who has been with the center for 23 years. Its parent company is Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois, based in Springfield, a not-for-profit community mental health agency.

[Twins Jean and Jan have worked at the Rehab Center for 16 years.  Both are both going to State in the standing broad jump for Special Olympics.  Here they use a rip saw to cut up lumber for cleats for Myers Industries.  Safety features allow workers to use these saws without accidents.]

Behind the office at the rehab center, the visitor steps into a room that looks like a machine shop. There is sawdust on the floor. Motors hum and whine and screech as 40 workers concentrate on their various tasks. The presence of a supervisor or even an unexpected visitor does not distract them.

This is the site of the regular work program, a sheltered workshop where clients make products for three area industries. It is staffed by supervisor Marcia Warner, definitely a hands-on rather than a behind-the-desk staff person. Working with her are instructor and safety officer Steve Coogan and Dennis Bernahl. "Bernie" designs the fixtures and "jigs" the disabled work on so they are safe and easy to use. Jigs are ingenious devices to help the clients perform specific tasks.

On this particular day, some of the workers are making wood products, screw cleats and glue blocks for Myers Industries of Lincoln. A pair of twins are cutting raw lumber into eight different sizes with a table saw. Others are trimming cleats to the right size, and still others are punching holes in each cleat at precise intervals.

"We’ve had this contract with Myers for more than 30 years," Marcia says. Other workers are putting together amp straps for Cutler-Hammer, another Lincoln firm. A plastic sleeve is slipped over a metal piece, and the whole thing is bent into the correct shape. Still others are "baking" the amp straps in a special oven.

[Marcia Warner, supervisor of the regular work program, demonstrates the drill punch, which has shields and slides so clients can work safely and precisely.]

An ongoing project is assembling kits for Cutler-Hammer; today workers are putting the correct number and type of screws and labels into packages. Altogether these workers assemble 40 kinds of kits for the Lincoln manufacturer.

"The Cutler-Hammer truck picks up and drops off work every day," Marcia says.

Inland Tool of Mount Pulaski is another of the center’s contractors. For this firm, a worker is putting foam strips around a hole in a metal plate. These pieces, access plates for gas tanks, will be sent to Mitsubishi Motors in Bloomington.

"We ship out approximately 7,000 to 10,000 parts each day," Marcia says. "All these firms are wonderful to work with, and their drivers enjoy coming over here to drop off and pick up the work."

Clients here work five hours a day, for which they are paid. They get two breaks and lunch. Not a single worker says he or she doesn’t like the job; all are quick to tell a visitor that they love it. Some proudly hold up finished products to show what they are doing without slowing the pace of their work routine.

Marcia likes her job, too. "I’ve got the fun job, because it’s so varied. I get to work with our clients, and I contact manufacturers and do bidding and procurement. And my clients and my co-workers are my friends."

(To be continued)

[Joan Crabb]

Reading Rocks at library this summer

Giveaways for adults and children include bed and breakfast, maroon T-shirts

[MAY 30, 2002]  Reading Rocks at the Lincoln Public Library, where youngsters from preschool through sixth grade can sign up now for the summer reading program.

The program starts with the big kickoff event June 1 at the Lincoln Park District Recreation Center on Primm Road, where both youngsters and adults can travel back in time with the nationally acclaimed Pioneer Living Experience’s traveling museum. The reading program begins at the library June 3.

All kinds of prizes await youngsters who read at least one book per week and bring in their reading log. Special Reading Rocks T-shirts will go to those readers who reach the goals they have set for themselves, and area schools who log the most readers will receive a trophy at the end of the program.

[Photo by Joan Crabb]
[Four-year-old Teran displays one of the shirts that will be a prize for children enrolled in Reading Rocks, the Lincoln Public Library’s summer reading program.]

"We will suggest goals," says Pat Schlough, children’s librarian, "but we really want children to set their own. We want everybody to have fun with this program during the summer. It’s not going to be like a classroom."

Most of the prizes will come from local food establishments such as Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Domino’s and Hardee’s.

Based on the books read last year, librarians are expecting to give away at least 400 dark red T-shirts that say "Reading Rocks," but they’d be happy to give away more.

Suggested goals are 25 books for readers from preschool through grade two, 12 books for those in grades three and four, and eight books for those in grades five and six.

Plenty of activities are waiting for young people at the library this summer. During the four weeks of June, the children’s library will have story time at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays and at 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Story times are for children 3 to 5 years old.

Also at 10 a.m. on Mondays is the Harry Potter club, for those age 8 and up.

Craft time is scheduled for children in grades one through six on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 1 p.m.

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On Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. special programs, including magicians, bagpipe players, Miller Park Zoo animal visits, karaoke and puppets, will entertain the young people.

The same schedule is set up for the weeks of July 7, 14 and 21 There will be no programs during the week of July 1 because of the July 4 holiday.

Although there has been a children’s summer reading program at the library for 20 to 25 years, this is only the second year for the summer reading program for adults. This is open to anyone from ninth grade through adults.

Fiction and nonfiction, audio books, or magazines may be read, but the books must be borrowed from the Lincoln Public Library collection. Each time a book is finished, the reader fills out an information slip that will be entered in the weekly prize drawings.

Drawings start the week of June 14. That week, the prize is a car wash, wax and interior detailing from the Detail Shop.

The prize for the June 21 drawing is a gift basket from Abe’s Carmelcorn Shoppe, and the prize for the next week, June 28, is a gift basket from Prairie Years.

A $50 gift certificate from Lincoln IGA is the prize for the July 12 drawing, and a $50 gift certificate from MKS Jewelers is the prize for the week of July 19.

The grand prize is dinner for two at Capone’s plus an overnight stay in the Arabian Room at Eckert’s Bed and Breakfast.

For more information, visit the library at 725 Pekin St. or call 732-5732 (Linda Harmon) or 732-8878 (Richard Sumrall).

[Joan Crabb]

General Assembly passes
electric rate freeze extension

[MAY 30, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — Electric rates for residential customers of Illinois Power would remain frozen for an additional two years under legislation approved by the Illinois Senate, according to Sen. Claude "Bud" Stone.

"The freeze would keep customers’ electric rates at lower than 1996 levels," said Stone, R-Morton. "We passed this measure because there is such uncertainty about future electric prices as a result of deregulation."

Under Senate Bill 2081, the rate freeze on 750 kilowatt hours of usage will be extended to Jan. 1, 2007. It was due to expire on Dec. 31, 2004, under a deregulation law passed by the General Assembly in 1997. The legislation passed Thursday also retains the earnings cap provision included in the original deregulation law, which means that if utilities have excess earnings, they must share half of the excessive earnings with customers.

"The point of deregulation was to allow the consumer to have the freedom to choose to switch their electric service," said Stone. "The idea was to create competition and thereby lower electric rates. Since no alternative suppliers for residential electric power have come forward at this time, the freeze extension allows more time for such competition to develop. Meanwhile, it protects consumers from the volatile wholesale market which they would be exposed to after the freeze deadline was lifted."

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The 1997 deregulation law has already provided the climate for competition for business customers statewide, who have the option of choosing service from up to nine different companies. Mostly recently, the second phase of rate reductions went into effect in Illinois, lowering electric rates by 5 percent as of May 1, 2002, as called for under the original law. An initial 15 percent rate cut went into effect in 1998. Deregulation is expected to save consumers about $2.8 billion, with an additional $174 million under Senate Bill 2081.

Illinois Power has about 650,000 electric and natural gas customers in Illinois. Within the 45th Senate District, the utility’s service area includes DeWitt, Logan, McLean, Piatt, Tazewell and Woodford counties.

The Senate approved the rate extension legislation on a 58-0 vote, sending the measure to the governor for consideration. The proposal has the support of the Citizens Utility Board and AARP.

[News release]

Legislators fight to restore LDC funding

[MAY 30, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — As the budget process nears an end, state Reps. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, and Jonathan Wright, R-Lincoln, filed legislation Wednesday to restore funding for the Lincoln Developmental Center.

"Four hundred eighty local families and the local community would be severely affected by these proposed cuts," said Mitchell. "Our plan is to amend the legislation so that funding for 240 residents and 480 employees is included in the state budget."

Budget legislation passed by the Senate yesterday and sent to the House does not include adequate funding for the continued operation of LDC. The amendment proposed by Mitchell and Wright calls for $27 million to be appropriated to keep the facility open.

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"The House Republicans have gone through agency budgets line-item by line-item, and we have been able to identify areas of the budget that can be reduced that won’t hurt essential services and would enable us to keep LDC operating," said Wright. "For years, persons with severe developmental disabilities and their loved ones have come to rely on LDC for their care. We feel that it is in the best interests of the residents, their families and the local economy to keep this facility operating strong."

The lawmakers expect to vote on the budget amendment Wednesday and on a final state spending plan before June 1.

[News release]

[MAY 30, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — Rich Brauer, Republican candidate for state representative, announced his support of legislation filed Wednesday to restore funding for the Lincoln Developmental Center.

Brauer attended a press conference presented by state Reps. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, and Jonathan Wright, R-Lincoln, to show his support of the residents and employees of LDC.

"The governor’s original cuts would definitely impinge upon the residents, along with the families and employees, of the Lincoln Developmental Center," Brauer said. "I am backing Representative Mitchell and Representative Wright in their fight to restore these proposed cuts. This funding must be part of the new state budget."

According to Brauer, the amended legislation calls for $27 million to be appropriated to keep LDC open and in operation.

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"The revised budget has some new proposed reductions in the size of government; however, there is not enough. More can be cut without cutting Illinois’ vital services and programs," Brauer said. "I believe the House Republicans have found more areas that can be scaled back in order to restore funding to the Lincoln Developmental Center. The people of this area are counting on it."

The Illinois General Assembly is expected to pass a final state spending plan before Saturday, June 1.

Rich Brauer is the Republican candidate for state representative in Illinois’ new 100th District.

[News release]

Senate passes responsible budget; bureaucracy cuts made

[MAY 30, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — Faced with a $2 billion budget deficit, the Illinois Senate passed a new Fiscal Year 2003 budget plan that contains $500 million in cuts while still protecting critical services, according to Sen. Claude "Bud" Stone. It’s the first hurdle in the budget process.

"Government must live within its means, and this budget does that," said Stone, R-Morton. "This is not a perfect budget proposal, but it is a responsible plan. It reflects our struggling state economy and meets our constitutional requirement for a balanced budget."

The measure maintains funding for priorities such as human services. "The Medicaid program is a vital program to ensure access to health care for all," said Stone. "This plan restores 50 percent of the Medicaid rate reductions originally proposed in February. There will be $330 million for hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies, practitioners and managed-care providers."

The plan also keeps education a top priority. The budget "includes $6.2 billion to allow for a minimum level of $4,560 per student in state aid," Stone said. "Additionally, $1 billion would be allocated for the successful school construction grant program."

Stone says another key element in the budget included a decision to add back $25 million in previous cuts to the Department of Corrections. "This money will allow the department to make management decisions with[out] political pressures. They can use this money to avoid having to privatize prison commissaries," said Stone.

•  $1,500,000 for AgriFirst.

•  $6,060,900 grant for Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

•  $2.5 million for coal research and development projects.

•  $6.0 million to provide bond-funded support to projects that will help increase the use of Illinois coal.

•  $1 million for continued ethanol research.

•  $67.5 million for the School Safety and Education Improvement Block Grant.

•  $5.8 million new appropriation for the governor’s new Universal Preschool Initiative.

•  $180.4 million for the Early Childhood Development Block Grant.

•  $1,881,200 for agricultural education programs.

•  Public universities would be funded at the governor’s proposed level.

•  $5.0 million for full-year funding of 110 new emergency CILAs for developmentally disabled people and $6.5 million for annualization of 250 CILAs developed in FY02.

•  $2.45 million in transitional funding for 100 CILA placements of developmentally disabled people, evenly phased over the course of FY03.

•  $40.9 million, or 18.3 percent increase for the Home Services program.

•  Includes full restoration of funding to human services providers, which was not included in the governor’s original FY03 budget recommendation. This amount includes an additional $16.5 million for MI Community Service grants, an additional $32.8 million for community-based services for the developmentally disabled and an additional $20.1 million for long-term care for developmentally disabled people.

•  $616.2 million for the department’s child-care program, with no increase in child-care co-pay.

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•  $36.0 million for the Illinois Open Land Trust program.

•  $5,250,000 Capital Development Fund to be transferred to the Conservation 2000 Project Fund for projects associated with the Conservation 2000 program and the Illinois Rivers Initiative.

•  Implement SeniorCare program, offering expanded pharmaceutical drug assistance to all senior at, or below, 250 percent of the federal poverty level.

•  KidCare spending will increase by $24 million to cover an additional 17,500 children. KidCare spending will total $209.5 million in FY03 and provide health-care coverage for an estimated 208,300 children.

•  $1 million to fund Public Water Supply Vulnerability Assessments. This program allows the IEPA to provide grants to public water suppliers for vulnerability assessments in order to combat potential terrorism threats on the state’s various public water systems.

•  $14 million to fund the Brownfields Redevelopment program, which helps fund the cleanup of brownfield sites throughout the state by providing grants to local governments.

•  $252 million for financial assistance to local governments for sewer systems and wastewater treatment facilities, under the Water Pollution Control Revolving Loan program.

•  $98 million for financial assistance to local governments and privately owned community water suppliers, for drinking water infrastructure projects under the Drinking Water Loan program.

•  Fully funds the Circuit Breaker/Pharmaceutical Assistance program. The FY03 appropriation of $138,500,000 will cover 256,000 property tax grants and 62,000 pharmaceutical participants.

•  $7,375,800 for the Elder Abuse and Neglect program.

•  $6,618,500 for home-delivered meals.

•  Funding for 50 new cadets in FY03.

•  $2.3 billion for the FY03 road program.

•  Increase of $4.1 million to downstate public transportation systems.

•  FY03 budget includes $45.6 million for rail transportation, including $27.0 million to continue work toward development of high-speed rail passenger service between Chicago and St. Louis.

•  Includes $10.6 million for Amtrak.

The Senate approved the plan on a vote of 30-26-2. The proposal now heads to the House for consideration. Lawmakers have until midnight Friday to send a final budget plan to the governor. After that, it will take a three-fifths majority to approve any budget proposal.

[News release]

[MAY 29, 2002]  The resignation of officer Chris Carmichael, who represents the Lincoln Police Department on a six-county drug task force, is severely testing the hiring freeze the city council set in place a month ago to help solve city financial problems. Carmichael is the second police officer to resign within the month.

At Tuesday night’s committee-of-the-whole meeting, police committee chair Pat Madigan placed the possibility of hiring a replacement for Carmichael on the agenda for the June 3 meeting. Carmichael will leave the department June 16 to join the state police. Officer Mike Buchanan, who resigned effective May 7, was not replaced.

Chief of Police Rich Montcalm said if a new officer is hired immediately, that person can begin training at the state police academy June 17. Otherwise, training cannot start until September.

Montcalm said it is vital to replace Carmichael, who works full time and some overtime with the Central Illinois Enforcement Group (the task force). Six methamphetamine labs have been located in the city in just the month of May and 18 in the preceding year. He said the task force is an important asset for clearing them out.

The six counties involved are Christian, Logan, Macon, Mason, Morgan and Sangamon. Christian, Morgan and Sangamon supply two officers each, and Logan furnishes one. To remain a member of the task force, the city must also supply an officer.

If someone is hired, a current officer would be transferred to the drug task force and the recruit would replace that person on patrol, according to Montcalm’s plan.

Steve Fuhrer, former finance chair, said that although he supports the police department, the city should not hire a new officer while layoffs are under consideration. "We just said there was going to be a hiring freeze," he said, adding that no time to begin replacing was set when the freeze was put in place. "We’re going to have to tighten our belts, promote from within and make do with what we have to get the city back in financial shape." He noted that attrition benefits the city budget.

Alderman Bill Melton reluctantly agreed. "The timing couldn’t be worse," he said. "This is an important position, but still … we are desperate for funds."

Montcalm indicated that if the city council wants to continue in the task force but not to hire an officer, he will eliminate community policing programs.

He noted that, if Carmichael is not replaced immediately, the state will reclaim the unmarked vehicle it supplied for task force use. Some equipment in the car was furnished by Lincoln police and will be kept. The covert equipment supplied by the state will go back with the vehicle. If an officer is hired later, the city will bear the cost of re-equipping the car.

The city attorney, Bill Bates, urged council members to determine the overtime costs if no officer is hired. Like other items discussed Tuesday night, the issue is on the agenda for the June 3 council meeting.

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A second pending issue is changing the earliest hour when liquor can be served in public establishments on Sunday. Currently, the time is set at 1 p.m. Sean Taylor of Logan Lanes argued for a starting time of 11 a.m.

At the council meeting Taylor gave four reasons: First, it is difficult getting teams to travel for bowling tournaments if they cannot buy liquor early in the match. Second, football pre-game shows begin at 11 a.m., and fans at sports bars want to be able to drink as they watch. Third, NASCAR races also start at 11 a.m. Finally, brunches are most often served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and restaurants want to be able to serve wine.

Prior to the council meeting on Tuesday night, the four members present of the five-member ordinance committee voted unanimously to recommend changing the hour to 11 a.m. for establishments that currently hold 1 p.m. Sunday licenses. The license fee would remain the same.

Other liquor ordinance issues which will come before the council on June 3 are creating a microbrewery license category and a possible additional license. The latter issue involves a particular case, but ordinance committee chair Fuhrer was not sure what type of license would be needed.

All three issues are on the June 3 agenda. If they pass, ordinance amendments will be drawn up and voted upon. If those pass, there is still a 30-day waiting period before they go into effect.

Also at the ordinance committee meeting, Tom Albert and Reggie Payne of Albert Service recommended that the city begin an inspection program for plumbing, heating and electrical upgrades. They showed photographs of faulty and dangerous wiring and plumbing in two local homes, one of which Albert said had been completely rewired within the past year.

Albert and Greg Tarter raised the issue of electrical inspections at the May 14 meeting. Fuhrer said he has collected codes from Bloomington and a smaller city. The committee will consider these in investigating the issue.

Finance chair Verl Prather added an early retirement policy for city employees to the June 3 agenda. The policy provides that employees who are at least 50 and have at least 20 years service can buy five years more on their retirement. Employees must pay their share of the five years within two years. The policy would offer a one-year window of opportunity. September 2002 to September 2003 is the period currently being discussed, but the council could set any year.

City Clerk Juanita Josserand said only two employees of the street department have expressed interest in early retirement, and money is available through a special Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund levy to cover them. As a special levy, the money cannot be used for any purpose but retirement funding. Bates warned that costs should be figured for all eligible employees. "If you pass it," he said, "they might develop an interest quick."

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

[MAY 29, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — A balanced budget plan approved Tuesday by the Illinois Senate holds some hope for area jobs, according to Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield.

Bomke made a last-minute decision to support the proposal after the Senate included an additional $25 million for the Department of Corrections. This money could be used to keep sergeants on the job and to avoid privatization of prison commissaries, two ideas the governor proposed in his address on Memorial Day.

"I have fought against layoffs and against privatizing food services," said Bomke. "This certainly isn’t the budget I have worked for, but the plan approved today includes some of the ideas myself, AFSCME and other lawmakers have introduced to help save jobs for area families. The addition of money for Corrections today helped me change my mind. Once this money was added back to the budget, I felt I could support the plan to keep the process moving."

If lawmakers do not agree on a budget by Friday evening (May 31), it would take a three-fifths majority to gain approval. If negotiations drag out too long and the state’s fiscal conditions worsen, state employees could go without paychecks, something Bomke didn’t want to see in light of impending layoffs.

While this plan still calls for nearly 6,500 layoffs, Bomke hopes many of these positions will be filled due to increased funding for DOC, attrition and the early retirement package he sponsored. More than 7,000 state employees are expected to take advantage of this plan.

"No one wants to see area families out of work," said Bomke. "It’s my hope that many if not all of the displaced workers will be able to fill openings created by the early retirement proposal."

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The plan represents $22.5 billion in general revenue funds and balances cuts in spending with revenue enhancements, something Bomke and other Senate Republican lawmakers have fought for during budget negotiations. It also restores nearly $323 million in previous cuts to much-needed services.

Other highlights of the plan include the following:

•  $6.2 billion for education including $3.18 billion for general state aid and Hold Harmless, giving a foundation level of $4,560 spent per pupil in state funding.

•  Expanded funding for the school construction program.

•  $1.5 million for the AgriFirst program to market and package Illinois commodities locally to increase their value and create jobs.

•  $200 million in funding for LIHEAP to help low-income families with their gas and heating bills.

•  $1.5 million from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Fund for the University of Illinois Springfield for governmental studies.

•  $40.9 million (18.3 percent increase) for the Home Services program as well as full restoration of funding to human services providers. This amount includes an additional funding for mental illness community service grants, developmental disabled community-based services and developmentally disabled long-term care.

•  Partial restoration of the Medicaid rate reductions proposed by the governor in February. This will ensure access to health care and that the state pays its bills on time to hospitals and health-care providers.

[News release]

[MAY 29, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — Gov. George Ryan announced that the Illinois Department of Public Health will team up with the Illinois Public Health Association to sponsor “Preparing the Heartland,” the Illinois Bioterrorism Summit 2002. The May 28-30 summit at the Hyatt Regency Oak Brook will provide a comprehensive overview of the federal, state and local bioterrorism preparedness activities and bring together approximately 800 public health practitioners and first responders.

"This multidisciplinary program was designed to benefit a broad range of public health professionals involved in bioterrorism response," Gov. Ryan said. "The conference will provide the latest on preparedness activities, health and medical plans, emerging diseases, and new treatment methods."

State homeland security and public health officials will be joined by other conference speakers, including Richard Preston, a journalist and best-selling author of nonfiction books about public health disasters, including “The Hot Zone,” and “The Cobra Event.” Neal L. Cohen, M.D., commissioner of New York City’s Department of Public Health, also will address the conference. Dr. Neal will discuss his involvement in the events surrounding Sept. 11, including confronting the anthrax threat in Manhattan.

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According to state Homeland Security Director Matt Bettenhausen, "The program content is especially relevant to state and local health professionals with responsibilities in bioterrorism emergency response, along with those involved in public health administration, environmental health, nursing, communicable disease, laboratory, food protection, immunization, hospital emergency services and other health areas."

The director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, Dr. John Lumpkin, added: "The ultimate goal is to provide conference attendees with new ideas and practical information to assist them in preparing their communities."

[Illinois Government News Network
press release]

Gov. Ryan urges the General Assembly to put a responsible budget on his desk

[MAY 28, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — Gov. George Ryan introduced a new Fiscal Year 2003 budget proposal that solves the $2 billion budget shortfall with cuts and new revenue and urged the General Assembly to take the lead and put a responsible budget on his desk during a joint Memorial Day session.

The new budget proposal equals $22.451 billion in General Revenue Fund, or GRF, allocations. GRF spending is about $260 million below the level proposed in February.

"This budget is a tough proposition to accept, but the alternatives before you — stalemate, deadlock and inaction — are worse for the people of this state," said Gov. Ryan. "It is time for us to show real leadership."

Through a combination of cuts and new revenue, including tax increases, this new proposal restores $323 million in previous cuts to important services including:

•  Restoring $165 million in state funds to provide health care for the poor, which will allow for an additional $165 million in federal matching funds.

•  Vienna Correctional Center will stay open.

•  Restoring $75 million in cuts to developmental disability and mental health services.

•  Restoring funding to subsidize child-care programs, eliminating an increase in child-care co-pays.

•  Restoring full funding for immigrant services: $1.7 million;

•  Increasing funds for Teen Reach: $1.3 million.

•  Adding $2 million to the appellate defender’s office.

•  Restoring $8 million to the homemakers’ program for the aged and fully funding the Community Care Program in the Department on Aging.

•  Maintaining at the original 2002 level the fare subsidy provided to the Regional Transportation Authority for the elderly, students and the disabled.

•  Funding for a new class of state police cadets in the coming year, maintaining the commitment to keep our roadways safe.

•  Funding the occupation of three cell houses at the state’s newest maximum-security prison, in Thomson.

The governor’s new proposal also includes $1 billion in short-term borrowing, which will be repaid by the end of the fiscal year, to allow the state to pay existing bills.

"It is unfair, particularly to small businesses, that the state is not paying for its goods and services because of our budget impasse," Gov. Ryan said. "With this balanced budget proposal, I propose borrowing so that we can get current on our bills and stave off financial ruin for hundreds of small-business people."

The governor’s top budget priority throughout his administration has been the education of our children. This budget proposal includes $1 billion in new bond funds for the highly successful school construction program. A pilot project for a statewide "universal access" to quality preschool programs and the "Great Start" program are also funded under this proposal.

Several other education initiatives are receiving full funding, including the Merit Scholarship program and the Illinois Century Network. Adult literacy programs, the Illinois Workforce Advantage program and "Skills Match" will continue to receive funding.

This budget also includes an appropriation of federal funds for Gov. Ryan’s innovative new "FamilyCare" program to provide health insurance to roughly 35,000 parents of children enrolled in the "KidCare" program. It also expands the number of Community Integrated Living Arrangements to help the developmentally disabled find a safe and productive home in a real neighborhood.

Budget cuts of more than $500 million are also proposed in other programs:

•  Higher-education funding will be reduced by $62 million; $20 million of that amount will be met by eliminating a fifth year of scholarships for students receiving grants from the Monetary Award Program.

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•  The Department of Corrections will save $50 million by closing the Sheridan Correctional Center, as well as several work camps and "boot" camps throughout the state, and some adult transition centers. More than 400 sergeants from the ranks of correctional officers will be laid off, saving $28 million. Additionally, the proposal includes saving $25 million by pursuing the privatization of food service operations in state prisons.

•  The Department of Human Services will close 11 local service offices throughout the state and the civil commitment wing of the Alton Mental Health Center. Operations at the DHS central offices in Chicago and Springfield will also be reduced. The TANF grant increase will also be scaled down from the level proposed in February, from 10 percent to 5 percent. Total savings from these cuts will be $43 million.

•  The Department of Public Aid, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, the Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois State Police will reduce central operational costs at a savings of $40 million.

•  The Department of Children and Family Services will reduce administrative spending in areas that will not adversely affect programs and services, saving $25 million.

•  Anti-smoking programs, such as billboard advertising, throughout Illinois will also be reduced by $23 million.

Gov. Ryan’s plan includes $50 million in savings from implementing new personnel management policies in every state agency over the next year, including an early retirement program.

To ensure a balanced budget, Gov. Ryan has also proposed measures that will generate additional GRF funds. The proposal suggests shifting money within the state budget from funds that are flush with cash to the General Revenue Fund, allowing $150 million to be diverted to the GRF. Additionally, $30 million from the Road Fund will be used to pay for the operations of the Illinois State Police, and one-third of the $90 million in unused reserves being held by the CHIP program will be diverted for operations of that program.

"In my view, we cannot cut the budget any deeper in order to bring revenues in line with spending. To go any further would be harmful to the people we are obligated to serve with these programs," added Gov. Ryan. "So we must go in the opposite direction and make small changes to our revenue structure in order to make ends meet."

Revenue-generating proposals of $590 million include:

•  Increasing the state’s cigarette tax by 50 cents, raising $285 million.

•  Increasing the tax on the windfall profits of Illinois’ riverboat casinos, raising $185 million.

•  Increasing the real estate transfer tax to $1.50 for every $500 of equity, raising $120 million.

Additionally, the governor’s proposal calls for continuing existing state practices in regard to the depreciation of business investment for tax purposes instead of participating in a new federal tax program. The federal tax break will save Illinois businesses more than $2 billion, but the state treasury will not lose $240 million and local governments will not lose $150 million. Reallocating the distribution of the real estate transfer tax will generate $15 million, and keeping the state photo-processing tax in the state treasury will generate $25 million.

"I invite you to debate these proposals. Submit your own ideas for needed spending. But if you add a dollar in spending, you must also add a dollar in revenue to pay for it. I won’t accept smoke and mirrors. I will use my veto authority to bring spending in line with revenues. I will work with you around the clock if necessary. In return, I only ask for one thing: Send a responsible and balanced budget to my desk," said Gov. Ryan.

[Illinois Government News Network
press release]

[MAY 25, 2002]  On Monday, May 20, the Lincoln Rotary Club hosted a group of four professionals from India as part of the Rotary International Group Study Exchange Program.

The team from India took some time to talk to Abe during their visit to the Lincoln College Museum on Monday (see front page picture).

During the team’s one-day stay in Lincoln they also visited the NOAA weather station, the farm of Art and Jim Rohrer, and the Logan County Courthouse.

Each team member enjoyed individualized vocational tours in the afternoon. Sanjay Jha, a superintendent of police in Khanda, India, toured the Logan Correctional Center and Lincoln Police headquarters. Dr. Natu, a pediatrician, shadowed Dr. Ken Sagins and toured ALMH and the mobile health unit. Vindya Shetty, a television news producer, spent the afternoon with Jim Ash at Log On Productions. And, Dr. Preeti Mishra, a professor of commerce, met with officials at Lincoln College, Lincoln Christian College, the local chamber of commerce, and Abbott and Associates.

The team is spending one month in the communities of Rotary clubs in Rotary District 6490. During their stay, the team members will investigate vocational opportunities in central Illinois and speak to numerous groups about the Indian culture and social issues.

[Marty Ahrends]

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[Rtn. Dr. Vijay Natu, M.D.]	[Dr. Preeti Mishra, Ph.D.]
[Sanjay Kumar Jha, I.P.S.	[Ms. Vindya Shetty Ballal]

[Photos provided by The Rotary Foundation]

[MAY 25, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — Gov. George Ryan announced Thursday that legislative leaders have agreed to his request that they convene the General Assembly for a 6 p.m. Memorial Day joint session at which he will introduce a new budget proposal for the 2003 fiscal year. The balanced budget to be introduced by the governor will solve the nearly $2 billion drop-off in revenue that occurred after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"The new budget I will present will reflect my best efforts to respond to all that I have heard about the budget in dozens of meetings with the legislative leaders and in hundreds of letters, calls and meetings that my staff and I have received from concerned citizens and organizations," Gov. Ryan said.

The governor said that meetings with the legislative leaders have yielded ideas but have not resulted in any agreements. The governor’s new budget plan will compile some of the best ideas from those meetings so that the members can vote to accept or reject them.

"Every lawmaker is trying to represent their constituents the best they can. But we have not been able to reach consensus among the legislative leaders in large part because their caucus members have competing priorities and concerns. With the new budget proposal, the entire General Assembly can debate the plan, raise their concerns and pass a budget," Gov. Ryan said.

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The governor said it is important to pass the budget by June 1, when a super-majority will be required.

"We have a budget crisis and we can ill-afford any delay. It is in the best interest of the people of Illinois for legislators to meet that deadline," Gov. Ryan said.

[Illinois Government News Network
press release]

[MAY 25, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — Calling a plan by Senate Democrats to put new taxes on Illinois agriculture, business and industry "wrongheaded," Sen. Claude ‘Bud’ Stone vowed to fight any attempt to pass the tax increases.

"At a time when our state economy is fighting to recover from a downturn and the terrorist attacks last September, the plan offered by the Senate Democrat leader would throw our economy into chaos," said Stone, R-Morton. "These taxes will jeopardize thousands of jobs."

Emil Jones, who heads the Senate Democrat Caucus, has proposed new sales taxes on nearly all of the private sector. The proposal includes taxes on farm chemicals, machinery and equipment, coal, oil and distillation machinery, manufacturing and assembling machinery and equipment, newsprint and ink for newspapers and magazines, building materials and personal property within enterprise zones, and companies’ rolling stock.

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"These tax increases will cause tremendous harm all across Illinois, especially to downstate Illinois agriculture," said Stone. "The taxes on business and industry couldn’t come at a worse time, given the economic downturn we are experiencing. A well-respected publication, Site Selection magazine, recently put Illinois at the top of the 50 states for new and expanded facilities. I shudder to think what these tax increases would do [to] our state at a time when we are just beginning to expand our industrial base."

Stone said he will work to defeat the proposal by Senate Democrats if it comes up for a vote in the Senate, and instead he will continue pushing for cuts in spending, higher fees on riverboat gambling and better cash management to balance the state budget. The state’s budget deficit tops $1 billion.

[News release]

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