The following press release came to me from Jack Darin , Director of the Sierra Club, Illinois Chapter.
I find this to be a very interesting read and I stongly urge all Illinois outdoorsmen and women take a long hard look at this. There has been a lot of hard work put into rebuilding he IL DNR and I don't think that any one of us would enjoy seeing the hard work and efforts of the IL DNR go down the tubes and back to the days when Blagojevich was governor.
Please read on and on election day, make the right decision when you mark your ballot....
"Conservationists Protest Bill Brady's Plan to Close State Parks & Slash Conservation
Brady's DNR Cuts Would "Dust Off One of Rod Blagojevich's Worst Ideas"
Illinois conservationists today are protesting a proposal by State Senator Bill Brady to cut the budget of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources by 10-20%, which would surely result in the closing of state parks and the layoffs of scientists responsible for protecting Illinois' water supply and wildlife.
"By proposing to close state parks and gut protections for our water supply and wildlife, Bill Brady is dusting off one of Rod Blagojevich's worst ideas," said Jack Darin, Director of the Sierra Club, Illinois Chapter. "When Blagojevich proposed slashing the Illinois DNR, Pat Quinn and people across Illinois stood up to him and stopped him, and we need to do the same thing today to Bill Brady's dangerous proposal."
In his campaign for Illinois Governor, State Sen. Bill Brady has proposed slashing the budget of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources by 10-20%, as Rod Blagojevich proposed in 2008. These cuts would close state parks that support jobs in our communities, reduce or eliminate law enforcement on state lands, and lay off the natural resource professionals who protect our water supply and wildlife.
Brady refuses to share any of his plans for cuts for the IDNR, other than to say he will cut IDNR by at least 10%, and more likely 20% or more. Blagojevich, like Brady, proposed similar cuts in 2008. Those cuts would have:
• Closed state parks, by laying off employees who operate them
• Hurt local economies dependent on outdoor recreation and tourism
• Eliminated conservation police, making our state lands less safe, and contributing to violations of anti-poaching and other conservation laws
• Eliminated water supply planning underway by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and the Mahomet Aquifer Consortium (MAC)
• Eliminated biologists and other scientists who look out for the health of our environment
• Eliminating education programs, guided hikes, programs for school groups, and outdoor recreational and educational programs.
Pat Quinn and conservation supporters stood up to Blagojevich, and those cuts were avoided. Our state parks and natural resources aren't just important for wildlife and healthy recreation - they bring jobs and economic opportunities to our communities: An estimated 44 million people visit Illinois state parks and other state sites annually, spending an estimated $500 million in local economies each year. That spending results in an estimated $790 million in overall economic impact supporting nearly 8,500 jobs throughout Illinois.
"We understand times are tough. But the Illinois DNR has already been cut deeply over the last decade by Rod Blagojevich and George Ryan," said Darin. "Pat Quinn has been working to rebuild the DNR, but Brady's proposal would reverse these efforts, and pose a threat to our economy and environment."
In the Illinois General Assembly, Brady often voted against the Illinois DNR and its supporters. In 2003, Brady voted to allow dirtbikes and four-wheelers on trails in state near campgrounds, picnic areas, hiking trails, and other wilderness locations, drastically increasing erosion of these areas and creating noise pollution. In 2004, Brady voted to eliminate local protection programs for wetlands, which are critical for flood control, clean water, and wildlife habitat. Brady voted to eliminate counties' stormwater and wetlands protection ordinances. and to let all wetlands in Illinois of a half-acre or smaller be destroyed without any need for a permit. In 2001, Bill Brady voted against our state law banning clearcutting of forests along the banks of Illinois' largest rivers.
"Pat Quinn has been working to rebuild the Department of Natural Resources after a decade of cuts by Rod Blagojevich and George Ryan," said Darin. "We can't afford to go back to the days of Blagojevich, which is exactly what Bill Brady would do for the IDNR."
More information about Sierra Club's endorsement in the race for Governor and other Illinois offices is available at www.illinois.sierraclub.org/vote
Paid for by Sierra Club Illinois Political Action Committee
A Copy Of Our Report Is Available From the Illinois State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois"
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