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" I am a PCC Guard. All the lawsuit does is buy time. Buy time for what is anyones guess. I am not a lover of our "union." I hate it when they allow management to violate the contract, so some of the more senior officers can keep their weekends off. However, Are they supposed to just give Blago. whatever he wants so they won't upset him? Dan Rutherford is not the only person to vote yes, when it came to the vote to put the recall provision question on this Novembers' ballot. They were voting to put a question on this Novembers' ballot, to ask the voters of this State, if we should have a provision added to our State Constitution, that would allow the recall of elected officials. Blagojevich is the one who made backroom deals with certain members of the Senate (Including the one who represents Joliet where Stateville is), to ensure we the people never get to vote on it. So, we have a Senator who was trying to give more power over our State Government to the voters, and a Governor who said we shouldn't have that much power over our government. "

" As for the lawsuit, thats just shows you and all the people of pontiac that AFSCME
doesn't care if they make Blago mad. As for Dan Rutherford he is just using this for his own gain toward running for Govenor in 2010, Dan needs to save his money because he won't even come close, and he couldn't even beat Jesse White for Sec. Of State. "

" To answer the questions posed by these posts!!!!: IDOC claims it will cost about $4.5 million less per year to run Thomson than Pontiac. However, closing Pontiac will take about $55 million annually out of the central Illinois economy. And, due to the proximity of the Thomson Correctional Center to the large metropolis of Clinton, Iowa and the lack of similar Illinois resources in the area, as much as $30 million of the expected economic boost to the Thomson area will be to the Iowa, not Illinois, economies. This move would trade a $55 million loss in one region for a $25 million gain in another.

When you add that financial equation to the facts that Pontiac is not falling apart and has had millions of dollars of renovations in the past decade both to replace aging plumbing, etc. and to add security upgrades to safely house the violent inmates who are housed there, the DOC's reason's for closing Pontiac and opening Thomson just don't hold up. "

" I think I answered your questions, these posts!!!!!!. Even if we went by IDOC's figures, why would you close Pontiac that saves you 4 million, when you could close Stateville that saves you 31 million? This shows it isn't about savings.

And I don't think you are stupid for asking questions. I think we're all just a little raw right now from the criticism from people who don't know all the facts. "

" ok I was simply asking questions I certainly didn't mean to insult anyone and I do have a sucure job in the medical field I did get an education and moved on. However no one really answered my questions. "

" To These Posts . . . Go to the COGFA web site and watch the commission hearing. It will answer many of your questions. As for the age of the prison, the prison was recently renovated. We spent millions to accomplish this and speaking for myself, Pontiac prison is the SAFEST institution in Illinois. Tamms prison cannot even handle our inmates and ends up sending them back to us. I suppose because the White House is far older than our prison, we should tear it down for the safety of the presidency. This example may be extreme but it is your irrational thinking that produces it. As for your being laid off . . . find a MORE secure job. They're out there! "

" these posts!!!!!!, please let me explain. Closing Stateville will save the state 31 million dollars (their figures, not mine). Closing Pontiac will save the state 4 million dollars (again their figures). And considering they have not included ALL the costs of moving inmates and running Thomson, I doubt there would even be a dime in savings to our state. "

" To these posts!!!

You're not from Pontiac! That says it all right there! You have no idea how this is going to kill this county. I have lived here my whole life. My grandfather worked at that prison. I have been inside there and know many people who still work there. The building is fine! Again, you are not from Pontiac, so you really have NO IDEA!!! People like you is who gets me irritated. You post comments like that when you have no idea what the effect will be on the people who work there and the surrounding communities! It is the states governments problem. In a previous post...Blagojovich didn't want to uproot his family and move to Springfield for his job. DON'T MAKE PONTIAC PRISON WORKERS DO SOMETHING OUR OWN GOVERNOR WOULDN'T DO!!! "

" This is what you get when you voted for Blago..and youll get more of the same if you elect his democrat friends in November. "

" just a few questions If this is going to save the states millions of dollars why is that not ok? And I am not from pontiac but I have been there and the prison is old how safe is it? I understand people have many reasons why they wouldn't relocate but I can't see how that is the state or governments problem. What is the state offering? can you move and keep your jobs? I wish I had that option when I lost my job. "

" When the Mafia does this, it's strong arm coercion. When Blagojovich does this, it's political pressure. What's the difference? Same crime, different outcomes. There has got to be a law to protect the people from this crime! "

" Governor Rod is a political hack x 5. "

" This will only buy us time til June of '09. Then he can close us by vetoing out the $$ to operate Pontiac. Nice move! "

" Okay if they win the suit, this will give congress time to change the law that it takes a Bipartisan committee to close a state agency not the governor alone. If congress doesn't do anything during this time it's nothing but a waste of tax payer’s money. "

" hmm what's that accomplish, another year of waiting and putting peoples lives on hold until Rod can close us in 09........ sounds like a plan. "