 For Maniscalco, one of the more important things he learned was that
local legislators are genuinely behind saving Logan Correctional
Center and are offering their full support to Lincoln and Logan
County in their efforts to keep the facility from closing. At the
Tuesday night meeting of the Lincoln City Council, Snyder and
Maniscalco offered a review of the meeting Tuesday with Quinn's
senior adviser Jerry Stermer, Gary Hannig and two budget analysts.
Representing Lincoln and Logan County in the meeting were Andi
Hake, executive director of the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of
Commerce and her board president Donna Boyd; Bob Farmer; chairman of
the Logan County Board; Maniscalco; Snyder; Sens. Bill Brady and
Larry Bomke; and Rep. Rich Brauer.
Snyder said the group shared information about the economic
impact of losing the prison in Logan County and offered a question
of fairness.
There are currently seven communities that could possibly be
affected by closures at the hands of the governor's budget
cuts. Snyder said of the seven, the impact on Logan County will be
the most severe, with an estimated loss of $73 million.
He said they commented on the fairness of losing the correctional
center just nine years after having lost the Lincoln Developmental
Center, which cost 600 local jobs and delivered a blow to the
community.
The group also spoke, as they have on several occasions, about
the savings the facility is already bringing to the state of
Illinois. On average, the annual cost to house a prisoner in a state
facility is approximately $23,000 per person. At Logan, the cost is
documented as being only in the area of $17,000 per prisoner.
However, what became apparent to Snyder is the issue is all about
budget, and the Department of Corrections on the whole will not have
the funding it needs to run if Logan remains open and appropriations
remain unchanged.
The group was also told the General Assembly needs to sustain
three vetoes from the governor, and they need to find money in
appropriations for the facility.
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Maniscalco said one of the things that he took from the meeting
that was positive was that our local legislators are 100 percent
behind keeping Logan open.
He cited that Bomke has said many times he supports Logan. Maniscalco
also noted that during the meeting Brady said, "If I make a $9
million appropriation, will you keep Logan open?"
Maniscalco said the most important thing right now is that the
community continues to support Logan by attending the Commission on
Government Forecasting and Accountability hearing on Wednesday
evening.
He said the community needs to show other legislators they are
behind keeping Logan open.
The COGFA hearing panel consists of co-chairs Sen. Jeffrey Schoenberg
and Rep. Patricia Bellock; Sens. Michael Frerichs, Matt Murphy, Suzi
Schmidt, Dave Syverson and Donne Trotter; and Reps. Kevin McCarthy,
Elaine Nekritz, Raymond Poe, Al Riley and Michael Tryon.
The hearing is scheduled to commence at 5 p.m. Wednesday evening
in the Earl C Hargrove Chapel on the campus of Lincoln Christian
University. The chapel is immense in size and it is hoped that the
building will be filled wall to wall with supporters, all wearing
red.
Snyder ended addressing the council by saying: "It is important
that you all attend (Wednesday) night with your friends and
neighbors."
[By NILA SMITH]
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