Pantagraph.com | News | Local officials present united front against prison closing

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

VoiceInWilderness wrote on May 15, 2008 8:15 PM:

" Can your representatives see now why the recall law was there and perhaps why it didn't pass? The guv's action sort of makes lies of all those other officials who are saying prisons are crowded and therefore we have to give early paroles to make room for new convicts and blah blah blah. Hard to figure, isn't it? I suggest, if the guv can get the prison emptied & closed, that it not be torn down because there's no telling when the big democrat of Illinois and his cronies figure a way to privatize prisons and make..guess what, money. Then, as a private business, it should pay a lot of rent or taxes to the tax payers. Meantime, it could be another attraction for Pontiac's budding tourism industry. Can't wait for someone to grab this idea and claim it was theirs! When you get a truckload of oysters dumped on you, try to look for the pearls! "

fishpoop wrote on May 14, 2008 11:05 AM:

" Just a thought but wouldn't it be better if we have some of these prisoner low lifes be working for what they are given? Driving up to Chicago all the time I see a ton of trash along the interstate and highways. why not make them get out there and clean it all up just like the do in other states? I support pontiac and find it hard to believe that this guy thinks this is the best solution to his screw ups! "

i said that wrote on May 8, 2008 1:02 PM:

" The Prison Industry, like the Military Industrial Complex that President Eisenhower described, and feared, is a money making machine. Why does the U.S. have more inmates than any other country in the world? It's Big Business Boys. $40Million a year of Big Business in Livingston County alone. "

Annie Oakley wrote on May 7, 2008 11:45 AM:

" Perfect example of crime pays. they can't lock them up because they are overcrowded. this is all because we are soft on crime. if these inmates would be treated like criminals instead of babies, they wouldn't keep breaking the law. make it so they don't want to go back and you won't have repeat offenders or offenders period. make it tough on them instead of coddling them. oh wow. you took their freedom! obviously they don't care about losing their freedoms. if they did, they wouldn't break the law to begin with. crime will continue to go up in our neighborhoods because the lawyers want them to plea to a lesser sentence. what is the point of the CRIMINAL justice system when the criminals live better than some americans.
"

pontiacnative wrote on May 7, 2008 9:21 AM:

" Ah, what a tragedy this would be. NOT! Let's save Livingston Manor. I think our elderly people who we can learn from better than a bunch of criminals deserve to be treated a whole lot better than inmates. I do feel for the employees. It makes me very upset to see the local newspaper taking more heartfelt action towards the prison than giving Livingston Manor any help whats to ever. Talk about discrimination! Let's make a banner for Livingston Manor and people sign their names in support of that instead. "

wheat13 wrote on May 7, 2008 9:10 AM:

" As one of the few who has worked at Stateville and now Pontiac, this news is heartbreaking. Pontiac is much safer and better maintained than Stateville. Joliet is in Will co. which is one of the fastest growing co. in america. It can stand the impact of Stateville closing, Pontiac can not. I have a wife and four kids and love where I live. Ol Roddy boy needs to think about what he is doing before he does it. (I did not vote for him) We need the support of the whole community or the ripple effect will eventually impact everyone. Lets all stand up to Rod and keep our VERY secure prison open. "

SoCal Guy wrote on May 7, 2008 8:43 AM:

" If your economy revolves around a prison it may be time to assess where you live. Gawd how hillbilly... "

keep-sarcasm-alive wrote on May 7, 2008 8:35 AM:

" Just because the union says vote for so and so doesn't mean they do. I live in a household supported by one of the union members, and I know HE didn't vote for this mad man! "

justme wrote on May 7, 2008 6:02 AM:

" I wasn't bashing you for being a state employee... My household happens to be supported by a state employee! I wwas merely saying ppl shouldn't let some "union" help them decide who to vote for! I have a friend that works at Pontiac prison so I know what the union said about voting for this clown! I myself would NEVER let any organization make the decision who I vote for!! THAT IS MY DECISION! "

real american wrote on May 6, 2008 4:02 PM:

" Hey "just me" I believed Blagojevich when he told a group of A.F.S.C.M.E. members at the Lincoln facility, "I will never try to balance the state budget on the backs of state employees." Thats why I voted for him during his first campaign. He broke that promise, and thats why I voted against him the second time. My vote was not for Judy Topinka, it was against Rod Blagojevich. Why is it whenever a factory leaves the U.S. and jobs are lost, everyone is up in arms about the inpact it has on families and the local economies but, when there is talk of laying off state employees we have idiots out there who are all for it? Do you people really think we are the same as the politicians or other high ranking officials in Springfield? We don't make any more money than a machine operator at the Mitsubishi plant or Catipillar. We make roughly $50,000 per year, why are we supposed to feel guilty about making a decent life for our families? Well, I don't feel bad for having a good job, making good money, and having good benefits. Thats what we all want!!!!! "

VoiceInWilderness wrote on May 6, 2008 3:31 PM:

" methinks the guv is getting even with Rutherford for pushing that "recall" bill. "

pseudo-intellectual wrote on May 6, 2008 2:40 PM:

" These "local officials" must not realize they live under a political (1-party) dictatorship. A unified front means nothing to Springfield or Chicago or wherever our government resides. "

ONLY IN AMERICA wrote on May 6, 2008 1:54 PM:

" Maybe Rod-O doesn't want to end up in a old prison when he's done... "

GeorgeHarrison wrote on May 6, 2008 1:41 PM:

" I saw we put our Marshall stacks right up next to his ear, grab our Strat or our SG and turn it up. Maybe put some sense in that ole head of his. You think ?!!??!!??!! "

Gridley wrote on May 6, 2008 12:59 PM:

" I like how they keep talking about the age of PCC. Sure the prison was opened in 1871, but the fact is that most of the buildings were built in the 20th century. Pontiac Correctional Center has been renovated several times to keep it in operating condition, which is more than I can say for Stateville which is falling apart. I would like to see the figures on how much it will cost to get Stateville restored. The way i understand it talking to people that work at Sateville is that most of the living units are not fit to put inmates in. If you talk to any officers that work or have worked at Pontiac they will most likely tell you that the facility is in very good condition for its age. I believe the cross hairs on PCC is in retaliation for Rutherfords involvement with the recall effort which should have passed if these goofballs weren't so bogus. "

Old man wrote on May 6, 2008 12:56 PM:

" Our local politicians no longer have an excuse for their past failure to properly describe the governor. "

In the Know wrote on May 6, 2008 12:14 PM:

" I KNOW, I KNOW!!!! let's vote a chicago democrat to be PRESIDENT!!!! "

farmersdaught13 wrote on May 6, 2008 12:12 PM:

" Google ways to impeach the GOV. There is a link. "

Country Girl wrote on May 6, 2008 11:47 AM:

" Ok- It just came out that the Gov wants to spend $150 million to curb violence in Chicago. He wants to give them jobs and fix up the housing. Come on Gov-Do you really think that giving them min wage jobs are going to make a difference? The ones taking the jobs are going to be the ones that are not a part of the problem. Where does he think the money is going to come from. What jobs are you going to give them? Planting flowers? "

no name wrote on May 6, 2008 11:09 AM:

" Was it a couple months ago he was going to lay off the State Police, yes sir he's a winner. "

IDOC-WIFE wrote on May 6, 2008 11:00 AM:

" Clearly Stateville isnt as functional as Pontiac. Why keep a prison in use when much of its already shut down, then close down Pontiac because because its age. Thomson is brand new "state of the art" Its understandable to wanna use the $140million prison, but think logically, our prisons are overcrowded, so why close down one, to open another, that wont be able house all the inmates....

Here's another solution. Open Thomson, Leave Pontiac alone, Itll CREATE 600 more jobs for our struggling state and house all our prisoners. Not only would that create more people spending money with their state salary, but create business in Thomson

this is a little off topic, but why did Roddy Boy propose spending 40mil on a new building for NIU, but he wont house our felons. What happened at NIU is a tragedy, however I do not see need for spending FORTY MILLION on ONE building. Rennovate the old one, Close off the Class Room and create a monument to honor those slain. Thats 40 mil that could be spent more effectively , i think. "

ShelLvsRic wrote on May 6, 2008 2:09 AM:

" He has to be mental. He will spend 1 million dollars beautifying the highways with FLOWERS!! But yet refuse to pay to put in an elevator in a state run nursing home to make it easier for the elderly. Now this? This man is as bad as our president. & TO JOHN Q. PUBLIC, ESQ.......YEAH, WE STILL HAVE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FOR NOW. HOW LONG WILL THAT LAST? WE MAY NOT HAVE THE FUNDING TO KEEP THAT ONE DAY. SAD, SAD SITUATION. "

otis wrote on May 6, 2008 1:43 AM:

" close the dump Quit throwing tax dollars down the drain and move south "

Dirkdavebigalow wrote on May 5, 2008 9:19 PM:

" Does this mean they would release the prisoners into the Pontiac area? Seems like a safety issue "

catlin64 wrote on May 5, 2008 8:47 PM:

" Still waiting for the first person to say "put them in the Coliseum, at least someone will be in there". "

concernedcitizen2008 wrote on May 5, 2008 8:24 PM:

" Caged Bird - what business has been pushed away from Pontiac? "

justme wrote on May 5, 2008 7:52 PM:

" Last I understood, all the Pontiac Prison employees backed Blago... Their Union encouraged it to keep the prison open. This is what you get for not being smart enough to vote who you want in, not your Union! "

Not so Political wrote on May 5, 2008 7:46 PM:

" Pontiac is a rat hole and Thomson is a new well designed and secure unit. I found it about a year ago and someone was working on cleaning it up. "

Not so Political wrote on May 5, 2008 7:42 PM:

" to tmac_74 , SF looked into moving north before they built the corp south buildings. "

gill wrote on May 5, 2008 7:03 PM:

" I grew up in southern Illinois. I took a job at the Pontiac Correctional Facility over 10 years ago hoping for a better life. I now have a family and have called central Illinois as home. Gov. B. is playing games with middle class families. Look at the corruption around the state. Pontiac C.C. is one of the most secure prisons in the state. I honestly don't see how Gov. B can lay his head down to rest knowing that he is causing so many families distress. I had to tell my children that we may have to relocate and they were devistated. Please help central Illinois fight this battle with a miserable dictatorship that our governor is trying to run. As a state employee I am tired of being a pawn in this ludicrous state government. "

TheRudeAwakening wrote on May 5, 2008 7:00 PM:

" I work at the prison and I say please lay me off. Then, I can take advantage of the system and afterwards leave this sore eye of a state. This governor is nothing more than a village idiot. He has yet done anything right for the people of Illinois. He gave himself another pay raise and blatantly lie when he said he supported the Recall Amendment. Hey Gov, have you heard of the "Boston Tea Party"? Maybe we should start an "Illinois Tax Party". Your time as governor is coming to a close. Good luck becoming Ryan's cell mate. "

pontiacresident wrote on May 5, 2008 6:39 PM:

" Blago - what a weenie. He has no idea what this will do to Pontiac. Not that he cares. He has never lived here to know what a great town it is and what kind of devastation this would do to our local economy. "

mds1 wrote on May 5, 2008 6:01 PM:

" Blago is a complete idiot. How can he possibly think that closing Pontiac will help anything. Oh yes, he's not thinking. It doesn't make any sense to put all of those people out of work just so they can hire a bunch mor ein another part of the state. We have a moron for a governor, and a general assembly not far behind, when they won't allow the citizens to speak by having a recall option. Yes, we must be the laughing stock of the country, and yes Blago needs to be institutionalized. In due time maybe we can send him to Thomson. "

IlliniAlumni wrote on May 5, 2008 5:39 PM:

" PLEASE TAKE YOUR CAPS LOCK off. Thank you. "

JUD wrote on May 5, 2008 4:06 PM:

" I USED TO LIVE NEAR THOMPSON AND HAVE RELATIVES THERE. AS FAR AS I COULD TELL, NOBODY WANTED THAT PRISON. IT WAS FINISHED SEVERAL YEARS AGO BUT BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER FILLED AND SAT IDLE, THERE NEEDS TO BE QUITE A BIT OF WORK DONE TO IT. ALSO A FRIEND OF MINE IS A GUARD IN PONIAC WHO TOOK A TOUR THROUGH THAT PRISON AND IN HIS OPINION, IT SHOULD NEVER HOUSE A LOT OF THESE MAXIUM SECURITY PRISONERS AT PONTIAC. IT WOULDN'T BE SAVE FOR THE WORKERS LET ALONE THE CITIZENS OF THOMSON. PONTIAC HAS SOME OF THE WORST INMATES THERE ARE. WHAT IS BLOGO THINKING. OH THAT'S RIGHT , HE'S NOT. IT'S REVENGE, THAT'S ALL IT IS. "

In the Know wrote on May 5, 2008 3:34 PM:

" Where did the 27 million go in savings from ville to Pontiac?? It's this simple, vote no on the recall, and i'll drop the stateville issue and move onto the Republican area prison....Pontiac. 31 mill or 4 mill you pick. Half of stateville is already shut down/condemed due to lack of maintence. Shut that one down, ship convicts and leftover staff to Thompson. Thompson CANNOT handle the inmates that are in Pontiac. Tamms sends the convicts they can't handle to Pontiac. Tamms is sinking too after being built on swamp/coal mines. They are only at half full also, shut that one down and spread the staff over the southern joints to fill the low staffing and help out with OT. "

INFONUT wrote on May 5, 2008 3:03 PM:

" Gee another democrat politician wants to take guns away from law abiding citizens and close prisons that hold criminals......any questions??? "

Country Girl wrote on May 5, 2008 2:25 PM:

" This is just Gov Rod trying to find something that he could cut to get the people to rise up and say give the Gov what he wants. Earlier he tried with the Ext programs, last year is was the State Police. There is no way that they can close down Pontiac Prison at this time. There may come that day but with all the crime they are going to need it for long time to come. Just look at all the murders in Chicago in the past month. They have to put them somewhere close where their families and buds can come see them "

PCC Officer for Years wrote on May 5, 2008 2:04 PM:

" Blah Blah Blah "

slw wrote on May 5, 2008 1:50 PM:

" This is all retaliation over Rutherford heading up the recall effort. I hope Dan continues to fight the state of Chicago jokers. I didn't vote for this lunatic. I hope everyone that did is finally getting some kind of clue how bad this governor is (if you call him that). I agree with a previous poster about Ryan. Rutherford for Governor!!!! Keep fighting Dan!!! Closing Pontiac Correctional would be the worst thing for Central IL! "

ApH wrote on May 5, 2008 1:49 PM:

" Hot Rod the hair boy wants to close it down because he's worried he'll be living in it! Nope Rod, that will be the Fed's job!
Senator Rutherford has stood up to this fool and that is why they want it closed. "

noogie wrote on May 5, 2008 1:24 PM:

" All the more reason to impeach this clown. Write your state representative and senator EVERYDAY until they do! "

keep-sarcasm-alive wrote on May 5, 2008 1:24 PM:

" How many petals do you think Blago has left on that flower? I'll close it....I'll close it not...I'll close it...I'll close it not.... "

summerh2o wrote on May 5, 2008 1:24 PM:

" Everytime the poor excuse for a governor (I didn't vote for him) and his followers in Springfield give themselves nice cushy raises, within a week or two, they talk about closing prisons = cutting jobs. Where are the prisoners going to go? Lets just put them up in the good old governor's mansion since Blago and his family are too good to live there! "

weathergirl wrote on May 5, 2008 1:21 PM:

" i think randolphtwp nailed it on the head "

Caged Bird wrote on May 5, 2008 1:21 PM:

" Interlake cutting back, the prison going, this town will be a ghost town in the near future!!! And thanks to our wonderful mayors of pontiac that push businesses away that want to be here, we have no fall back for jobs! This whole state is corrupt top to bottom! "

Political Heretic wrote on May 5, 2008 1:17 PM:

" Wow. Far be it for me to agree with Dan Rutherford, but he may have a valid point; if the prisons are overcrowded now what is the justification for closing Pontiac? Do they even have a facility to move these prisoners to? From what I've read, Thomson isn't even ready. Would closing Pontiac entail finishing Thomson for the transfer?
To Big Brother. You're assertion that Blago is attacking Republican districts isn't as solid as you think. The district that Thomson, Illinois is in, between state and federal officials, only favors the Democrats by one individual. It's not the Democrat-monopolized area you think it is. "

rayman wrote on May 5, 2008 1:15 PM:

" Is it possible to impeach a governor, if so, how does one get the ball rolling on this. This idiot has got to go. IMPEACH BLAGOJEVICH!!! "

Flood Of Truth wrote on May 5, 2008 12:59 PM:

" Dan didnt buckle under to Blago..Cant you see its the same pay to play state. All jobs moving North and South? But do not give the citizens in Illinois the right to vote out dirty politicians..Now they get a raise..but cancel funds and projects! Now they start upsetting lives, families and communities to improve the Northern part of the state...and they get a raise....amazing....If all 550 employees have a wife and 2 kids...real estate will plumit...schools will not receive as much money for it goes by pupils, every business in Pontiac will be affected not alone the region... "

tmac_74 wrote on May 5, 2008 12:42 PM:

" Gov. Rod Blagojevich is the worste thing that has happened to Illinois.... What next Rod will you try to move State Farm north too.... "

MacMan86 wrote on May 5, 2008 12:38 PM:

" As a former Central Illinois resident now living out of state, I find it hard to belive that you re-elected this idot. He makes Gov. Ryan seem like a breath of fresh air. Jobs means votes, loosing jobs means no votes. Is he so stupid that we would not realize that it is the other Dems. and Gov. Blagojevich that is doing this. When is your next election, Im moving back to help get rid of this idot. "

What The Hey wrote on May 5, 2008 12:38 PM:

" Please, please, please, if you are 18 or older, PLEASE be sure you are properly registered to vote!!!! If the people North of I-80 and East of I-39 are as sick of this joke of a government (not governor - government) as we are downstate, we can't let this continue. VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!! "

illini-dog wrote on May 5, 2008 12:08 PM:

" What did rutherford do to make king rod angry? "

rosie jane wrote on May 5, 2008 12:04 PM:

" I notice Thomson is in northwest Il. I know I'm not the most current person when it comes to politics but has this man done ANYTHING for central or southern IL? All I can recall are negatives and now he wants to do yet another negative?!?!? Gimme a break. "

John Q. Public, esq. wrote on May 5, 2008 11:47 AM:

" Wow, cutting down on meth labs and closing the prison? Pontiac's economy just went from poor to nearly non-existent. At least they still have high school football... "

BigBrother wrote on May 5, 2008 11:46 AM:

" Another attack against the republicans. If Dan Rutherford was a democrat the prison would be expanded and updated. The govenor is attacking the jobs and constituants of republican districts. He is using his power to move jobs and resources to democratically held districts. "

randolphtwp wrote on May 5, 2008 11:44 AM:

" To heck with recall...Blago needs to be committed to a mental institution, for mental illness is the only explanation for how out-of-touch with reality he is. Illinois government has got to be the laughingstock of the country. "

zs wrote on May 5, 2008 11:38 AM:

" Just what central IL needs: more lost jobs. "

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