By Jeff Williams
Carbondale, IL – A SOUTHEASTERN ILLINOIS COMMUNITY STANDS TO GAIN MORE THAN 100-NEWS JOBS AS PART OF A RELOCATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S TRAFFIC SAFETY DIVISION...
GOVERNOR ROD BLAGOJEVICH MADE THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY/FRIDAY IN HARRISBURG.
I-DOT SECRETARY MILT SEES SAYS IF THE GOVERNOR AND I-DOT HAS ITS WAY AS MANY AS 140-JOBS WILL RELOCATE FROM SPRINGFIELD TO THE SALINE COUNTY COMMUNITY.
THE PLAN TO MOVE THE JOBS HAS DRAWN SHARP CRITICISM FROM SPRINGFIELD AREA LAWMAKERS... BUT STATE SENATOR GARY FORBY OF BENTON MAKES NO APOLOGIES. HE SAYS ITS TIME FOR SPRINGFIELD TO SHARE SOME OF THOSE STATE JOBS.HARRISBURG MAYOR VALERIE MITCHELL SAYS THE COMMUNITY IS EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THE I-DOT MOVE PRESENTS.
THE MOVE IS EXPECTED TO INJECT 15 TO 20 MILLION DOLLARS INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY WHERE THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS A LITTLE LESS THAN 28-THOSUAND DOLLARS A YEAR. GOVERNOR ROD BLAGOJEVICH SAYS THE MOVE WILL NOT HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE DIVISION'S CURRENT EMPLOYEES IN SPRINGFIELD. THE GOV. SAYS IF THE DIVISION'S EMPLOYEES DO NOT WANT TO MOVE SOUTH THEY WILL BE IN LINE FOR OTHER STATE JOBS WITHOUT A LOSS IN BENEFITS OR SALARY,
THE MOVE IS FAR FROM A DONE DEAL... A PUBLIC HEARING MUST BE HELD BEFORE THE STATE JOBS CAN RE-LOCATE. THAT HEARING TAKES PLACE ON JULY 31ST IN SPRINGFIELD.
