SPRINGFIELD - More than two months ago, Gov. Rod Blagojevich said he was against closing Pontiac Correctional Center. "That's not something I want to do," the Chicago Democrat said during a rare visit to Springfield. "We don't want to. I don't want to."

At the time, Blagojevich said the General Assembly could find a way to keep Pontiac open.

Now, as the clock ticks down on the 137-year-old prison, the governor is sounding a different note.

Blagojevich spokesman Brian Williamsen confirmed Friday that the governor has made no entreaties to legislators regarding the prison's future.

"There are not talks that I'm aware of. The money is just not there. That's why this decision was made," Williamsen said.

With an eye on closing the maximum-security facility on Dec. 31, prison officials have begun transferring prisoners out of Pontiac. Under the governor's plan, the prison will be replaced by a newer, mostly unused lock-up in Thomson, located about 50 miles north of the Quad-Cities.

"Plans are moving forward with this closure of Pontiac and the opening of Thomson," Williamsen said.

The apparent finality of the governor's decision comes as the House and Senate are scheduled to return to action for the fall veto session after the Nov. 4 election, leaving both chambers with enough time to craft a plan to stop the closure.

State Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield, the lead budget negotiator in the House, said the governor could engage the Legislature and put a proposal on the table to keep Pontiac operating.

But, said Hannig, "He hasn't done that."

State Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, said he hopes to resurrect talks concerning Pontiac. He said he expects to meet with Blagojevich soon.

"I'm not throwing in the towel," Rutherford said Friday. "I intend to pursue every legal and ethical means with regards to Pontiac."

However, even if lawmakers do craft some type of Pontiac rescue plan, the governor already has signaled that he's ready to move forward with budget cuts - no matter what the General Assembly does.

For example, the House and Senate in September gave Blagojevich a way to keep two dozen state parks and historic sites open after Nov. 31, but the governor hasn't taken action to stop the closings.

For now, it appears the only clear route to keeping Pontiac open is a lawsuit filed in September by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union and a handful of local elected officials and Pontiac prison workers. No hearing date has been scheduled.

Not every lawmaker is upset about the looming demise of Pontiac.

State Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, said it makes no sense for the state to not open Thomson, which is newer than Pontiac. He's among those who'd like to open Thomson and also keep Pontiac from closing because of overcrowding within the prison system.

"I'm for that too, but I think it ignores the reality of Illinois' fiscal picture," Jacobs said.