By IL Radio Network
Springfield, IL – State Sen. Gary Forby (D-Benton) says Governor Quinn's decision to not relocate an IDOT division to southern Illinois isn't a final answer.
Forby says that in talks with IDOT, the agency left the door open for future job moves. "No matter what the governor says today, I'm not saying it's a 100 percent dead deal," Forby said.
The Illinois Department of Transportation jobs that were slated to go south are staying put. IDOT has told its Traffic Safety Division that the nearly 100 jobs that former Gov. Rod Blagojevich planned to move from Springfield to Harrisburg are no longer moving.
Blagojevich had said that moving the traffic safety jobs to Harrisburg would greatly help the Southern Illinois economy, but AFSCME union members protested, saying the decision forced them to make a decision: find another job or move their families. Blagojevich also said the state would save millions by paying less for rent in Southern Illinois , but experts disputed the numbers.
AFSCME spokesman Anders Lindall says this shows that Quinn took a hard look at the numbers and realized that this would be a bad move.
There is no word yet on closed state historic sites, or the ex-governor's plans to close the Tinley Park Mental Health Center or Howe Developmental Center.
