June 30, 2012

To the Honorable Members of the Illinois Senate

97th General Assembly

 

Today I return Senate Bill 2474 with item and reduction vetoes in the amount of $56,110,400.

 

These appropriation reductions reinforce our intention and need to close a number of facilities across Illinois.

 

These are difficult fiscal times and it is clear that we must employ a variety of methods to manage those who violate the laws of our State -- not just for the purpose of reducing the annual cost of operating State government, but because the policies that these facilities reinforce do not adequately reduce recidivism.

 

The Fiscal Year 2013 budget as passed by the General Assembly provides resources to maintain operations for a full fiscal year for the Murphysboro and Joliet Youth Centers. It is my intention to move forward with the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice closures. We are in a time of scarce resources and cannot afford to staff empty facilities. The limited resources that we have are better spent providing services to these troubled youths in their communities, at a lower cost, with performance-based goals, so that these youths do not once again fall into our custody upon reaching adulthood.

 

The budget as passed by the General Assembly also funds the operations of North Lawndale Adult Transition Center, Peoria Adult Transition Center, Fox Valley Adult Transition Center, Crossroads Adult Transition Center, Westside Adult Transition Center, Decatur Adult Transition Center, and Southern Adult Transition Center. It is my intention to maintain operations at the North Lawndale, Crossroads, Peoria and Fox Valley Adult Transition Centers for the purpose of continuing to provide job training and programmatic support to those individuals that will soon be returning to our communities.

 

This budget also provides funding for the Tamms and Dwight Correctional Centers. The appropriation that is in the budget for Tamms provides for its operation, but for a different purpose than it is serving today. However, the General Assembly has not provided the necessary resources to repurpose Tamms so that it can be operated in a different capacity. The cost of operating this facility is $62,000 per inmate per fiscal year, about three times the statewide cost for other facilities within the Department of Corrections. This cost can simply no longer be afforded. The Dwight Correctional Center is in need of substantial repairs and can no longer be operated efficiently. The Department of Corrections has also seen a 41% decrease in the number of female admissions, reducing the Department’s need to maintain existing female capacity.

 

Therefore, pursuant to Article IV, Section 9(d) of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 2474, entitled “AN ACT concerning appropriations” with item and reduction vetoes in appropriations totaling $56,110,400.

 

Item Veto

 

I hereby veto the appropriation item listed below:

 

Article

Section

Page

Line(s)

Amount Enacted

 

10

10

63

20

  8,000

 

Reduction Vetoes

           

I hereby reduce the appropriation items listed below and approve each item in the amount set forth in the “Reduced Amount” column below:

 

Article

Section

Page

Line(s)

Amount Enacted

Reduced Amount

4

45

21

22

           23,825,800

            4,452,700

4

55

36

7

           26,265,300

            5,038,300

10

10

62

2

           15,417,300

            7,848,200

10

10

62

4

                  12,100

                   6,000

10

10

62

6

             1,179,400

               600,400

10

10

62

7

             2,379,900

            1,971,400

10

10

62

8

                    8,100

                   5,400

10

10

62

10

                    1,600

                      600

10

10

62

11

                503,100

               244,200

10

10

62

12

                    2,400

                   1,200

10

10

62

13

                  70,000

                 19,800

10

10

62

14

                  42,000

                 21,000

10

10

62

15

                  70,800

                 33,600

10

10

63

9

             5,997,000

               888,000

10

10

63

11

                    6,900

                      500

10

10

63

13

                458,800

                 67,900

10

10

63

14

             1,094,900

               228,100

10

10

63

15

                    5,700

                      700

10

10

63

17

                    3,200

                      300

10

10

63

18

                160,800

                 14,000

10

10

63

19

                    3,500

                      300

10

10

63

21

                  18,200

                   2,400

10

10

63

22

                  22,600

                   2,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to these specific item and reduction vetoes, I hereby approve all other appropriation items in Senate Bill 2474.

Sincerely,

 

 

PAT QUINN

Governor