Calling a new lease for the state Department on Aging a mistake, Gov. Pat Quinn Wednesday essentially closed the door on the idea that the agency will move to new offices in Springfield.
Although officially the move is suspended while it is reviewed by various state officials, Quinn said it won’t happen.
“I wouldn’t hold your breath on that one,” Quinn responded to a reporter who asked if the move could still be revived.
The State Journal-Register reported last week that Aging planned to relocate from two state-owned buildings into privately owned office space at a cost of more than $532,000 a year. State officials said the move would have put all of Aging’s roughly 140 local employees to be in one building, improving efficiency. They also said concerns had been raised about air-quality standards in the Herndon Building at 421 E. Capitol Ave., which houses most Aging employees now.
Many lawmakers, though, branded the move a waste of money at a time when Illinois’ financial problems are forcing cuts to many programs for seniors and senior organizations are facing delayed state reimbursements.
“Sometimes in a big bureaucracy, a mistake is made by somebody,” Quinn said. “It won’t be tolerated. As governor, you have to comb the budget all of the time, and if you find something that isn’t going in the right way, you act promptly. That’s what I have done in this case and what I will do any other time.”
A sometime-critic of Quinn’s praised the governor on the House floor Wednesday for halting the lease.
Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, said Quinn listened to lawmakers. Franks himself called the lease “boneheaded.”
“It’s nice to know the system works sometimes,” Franks said. “I commend the governor.”
Doug Finke can be reached at 788-1527.
Read the original article from The State Journal-Register.