The Illinois House has approved a measure that transfers money saved from prison closures, including the closure of the Tamms Correctional Center, to child-welfare and mental-health services.
The proposal passed by a 63-52 vote Monday, after a heated discussion. Republican legislators accused Democrats of creating more spending rather than reforming the state's wrecked budget.
State Representative Mike Bost says he's frustrated with the House's approval to use money saved from the closing of facilities like Tamms, especially in the wake of recent violence at other facilities.
"What we're using is blood money," Bost says. "I want to fix and cure these other problems, but doing this allows people to die, because we don't stand to the Governor on this particular (source of) revenue."
"What we're using is blood money," Bost says. "I want to fix and cure these other problems, but doing this allows people to die, because we don't stand to the Governor on this particular (source of) revenue."
Sponsors of the bill.say it will save jobs at the Department of Children and Family Services.
The so-called supplemental appropriation bill also includes $675 million to boost transit construction, including $3.4 million to upgrade Interstate 57 in Union County. $12 million will go to community mental health grants, among several other expenditures.
The measure now moves over to the Illinois Senate.
(Information used from the Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
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