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Spokeswoman: Restored money to stop layoffs, not save state parks

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SPRINGFIELD - Even though Gov. Rod Blagojevich has restored hundreds of millions of dollars in spending to the state budget, he says there's still not enough to keep open 20 state tourist attractions or spare dozens of jobs. | Private funding keeping historic site open

Blagojevich isn't restoring all the money legislators wanted him to, but with a worsening budget picture, money lawmakers sent the Democratic governor will "prevent future layoffs," a spokeswoman says.

Lawmakers came up with $230 million to soften the blow from $1.4 billion the governor cut to deal with a budget he said legislators sent him that was out of balance. Those cuts last summer would have cost 325 jobs and shuttered two dozen parks and historic sites.

Blagojevich announced last week that the $230 million will keep four state parks open and hundreds of child-welfare workers will stay on the job. But with revenues falling, the state faces a $2 billion deficit, which will require further belt-tightening, the administration says.

So despite legislative intentions, there's not enough money to keep open another seven parks, 13 historic sites or spare dozens of other layoffs.

"We are using the money to help us prevent future layoffs," spokeswoman Katie Ridgway said. "We're still going to have to make reductions so we're using the money for the intended purpose with the understanding that we have a larger scope of $2 billion" in deficits.

Most of the $230 million came from state accounts set aside for special purposes. Of that, Blagojevich won't use $55 million, saying federal rules restrict it.

Lawmakers could find more money in special funds if they want more budget restorations, Blagojevich said Mon-day at an appearance in Chicago.

"There's plenty of money in the special purpose funds to be able to open all of those parks that the Legislature can easily send us," Blagojevich said.

Lawmakers were disappointed Blagojevich did not call all the cuts were off, "but I'm not certain what recourse we have," said Rep. Gary Hannig of Litchfield, a Democratic budget expert.

"We tried to send him a clear message as to what our intentions were and to back it up with the money," Hannig said. "It's really now up to him."

Blagojevich and lawmakers began to discuss the larger budget hole but the governor pre-empted those talks early last week by announcing a sweeping plan that would give him broad authority to make cuts where necessary.

Then, he signed the budget restorations bill Thursday evening, after lawmakers had left town until January.


4 parks to remain open after budget restorations

Gov. Rod Blagojevich will use money lawmakers scraped from state accounts to restore some of the budget cuts he made last summer. But there's only enough to keep open four state parks, Blagojevich said. Another seven parks and 13 historic sites will be shuttered Sunday:

PARKS REMAINING OPEN:

- Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, Sheffield

- Channahon Parkway State Park, Channahon

- Gebhard Woods State Park, Morris

- Kickapoo State Park, Oakwood

PARKS CLOSING:

- Castle Rock State Park, Oregon

- Lowden State Park, Oregon

- Illini State Park, Marseilles

- Hidden Springs State Forrest, Strasburg

- Moraine View State Park, Leroy

- Weldon Springs State Park, Clinton

- Wolf Creek State Park, Windsor

HISTORIC SITES CLOSING:

- Dana-Thomas House, Springfield

- Lincoln log cabin near Charleston

- Fort de Chartres, Randolph County

- Vandalia statehouse

- State center at Bishop Hill, Henry County

- Carl Sandburg birthplace, Galesburg

- Cahokia courthouse

- Hauberg Indian Museum, Rock Island County, but the adjacent natural area will stay open.

- Jubilee College, near Peoria

- Apple River Fort, Elizabeth

- Fort Kaskaskia, Randolph County

- Pierre Menard home, Randolph County

Local funds and volunteers will keep open:

-Bryant cottage, Bement

-David Davis mansion, Bloomington

Source: Blagojevich administration

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