June 30, 2012

To the Honorable Members of the Illinois Senate

97^th 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