Rauner might close St. Charles, Warrenville youth prisons
Gov. Bruce Rauner says he's preparing to close up to two youth prisons in Illinois, and the centers at Warrenville and St. Charles are among those "under review."
Rauner's budget fight with lawmakers could extend deep into the summer, so the governor said he needed to start taking action now. The state loses a lot of its authority to spend money on July 1 if Rauner hasn't signed a budget into law, perhaps throwing much of the state payroll into question.
Those actions include a move to "begin the process of identifying one or two juvenile correctional facilities for closure," the administration announced.
The Illinois Youth Center in St. Charles houses juvenile offenders and the similar facility in Warrenville is the state's sole female-only youth prison. An average of 328 youth are at St. Charles every day, according to the state's website, and an average of 50 are at Warrenville.
Both could be on the chopping block.
"All facilities are under review," spokesman Lance Trover said.
Closing state facilities can get slowed by bureaucratic hurdles, but Rauner said he wants to start the process now.
Trover also made clear Rauner wants to play hardball with the policy agenda he's proposed, calling out the top Democrats the governor will eventually have to cut a deal with.
"Speaker (Michael) Madigan, President (John) Cullerton and the politicians they control refuse to act responsibly and reform state government," Trover said in a statement. "It is time they come to the table with Gov. Rauner to turn around Illinois."
Rauner's dispute with Democrats has so far been bitter and public, leading both sides to a stalemate. Cullerton shot back minutes after Rauner's announcement.
"He is invited to work with us to develop a full plan to fund our shared priorities in education, public safety and community services," Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon said in a statement. "Unfortunately, today's actions signal that the governor would rather slash child care, services for troubled youth and senior care rather than work on a bipartisan budget solution."
Among the other cuts Rauner says he started making Tuesday: Parents participating in the state-run program that helps low-income residents pay for day care while they're at work will see increased copays. The governor also plans to freeze the program and create waiting lists for parents seeking future assistance.
That program running out of money in the spring helped spark lawmakers' first budget talks with Rauner months ago.
Rauner also is grounding state planes, which top lawmakers often use to travel between Chicago and Springfield, and his plan suspends on July 1 a popular program to help low-income Illinoisans pay for their utility bills.
"Oh, it's on. It's very much on," state Rep. Ron Sandack, a Downers Grove Republican, posted online.
The threat of closing state facilities has sparked massive political battles for Rauner's predecessors. Former Gov. Pat Quinn succeeded in closing a prison and a youth center but not without serious objection from local officials.
State Rep. Steve Andersson, a Batavia Republican whose district includes the St. Charles youth center, said he'll fight closure of the facility but laid blame with Democrats for not bargaining with Rauner over the budget.
"I respect the governor has to make tough choices on behalf of the whole state," Andersson said.
A spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal employees union, which represents the youth center worker, asked Rauner to work with lawmakers.
"This senseless crisis is caused by reduced tax rates that Governor Rauner pushed for as a candidate, chiefly benefiting the wealthy few," spokesman Anders Lindall said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger is charged with writing checks to pay the state's bills, and spokesman Rich Carter said she is talking with attorneys in her office about contingency plans, including whether the state can keep paying its old bills July 1.
"More definitely will be forthcoming soon," Carter said.
Democratic lawmakers have approved a budget plan that allows for the spending of $3 billion more than the state is expected to take in next year. Rauner has said if lawmakers approve some of his policy priorities like a property tax freeze he'd be open to a tax hike to fill that budget hole.
Lawmakers are scheduled to meet Thursday.
• Daily Herald staff writer Erin Hegarty contributed to this story.