Tagged: Pat Quinn

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn said the state should pay down bills with the money it gets from selling a prison to the federal government.

Construction of the Thomson Correction Center was completed more than a decade ago, but the state has never had the money to fully operate it so the federal government is buying it in order to relieve overcrowding at its maximum-security facilities.

It's been appraised at $220 million, but Illinois agreed to sell it for $165 million.

Quinn said some of that money will be used to pay off debts related to the construction of Thomson.

The bidding is starting early for Illinois Republicans interested in campaigning for Governor. The issue of who will run was a main topic of conversation during the GOP’s national convention in Tampa. 

So many Republicans are considering it that at one point during the convention, Pat Brady, Chair of the Illinois GOP, joked about it.

“I do want to thank those of you in the room that aren't running for governor,” Brady cracked.

Governor Pat Quinn is hearing both praise and criticism for his decision to veto a large gambling  package.

Lawmakers who pushed the gaming plan said he has been  unwilling to work with them. But Quinn is also getting a few pats on the back.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel is one of the detractors. He planned to keep pushing to have a  casino built in the city.

The proposal Quinn dismissed would also have allowed casinos to be built in Danville, Park City, Rockford, and at an undetermined spot in Chicago's south suburbs.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn's office is touting a one-page analysis claiming higher education will suffer if lawmakers fail to address Illinois' pension problem.

In the so-called study, Quinn's budget office estimates that state funding of higher education will steadily decline over the next five years.

The projections show more money would be needed to pay for university and community college employees' pensions, which would leave less for schools and scholarships for needy students.