HR1297

LRB095 21365 LCT 50616 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Transportation's 
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traffic safety division is in what is known as the IDOT Annex, 
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near IDOT's main headquarters, the State-owned Hanley 
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Building, on Dirksen Parkway; and

 
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    WHEREAS, IDOT rents the Annex, next door to the Hanley 
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Building; IDOT pays $25.32 per square foot annually as rent, a 
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total of more than $1.7 million; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The current lease took effect in 2002 and expired 
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in July 2007; the lease cost was $1.66 million in fiscal 2007 
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and $1.72 million in fiscal 2008, which ends June 30; and

 
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    WHEREAS, At least seven buildings in Springfield could 
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house the 150 people whose jobs the Illinois Department of 
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Transportation plans to move to southern Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rental costs for at least some of the Springfield 
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options would be dramatically lower than what the State pays 
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now; and

 
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    WHEREAS, IDOT officials say saving money is one reason they 
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plan to move the nearly 150 jobs; and

 

 


 






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    WHEREAS, The City of Springfield has already lost 2,200 
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State employees in the downtown area in recent years; if 
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Springfield could, by any chance, get some of those back, it 
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would be a boost to not only the entire city's economy, but to 
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the downtown area in particular; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Illinois Department of Transportation will need 
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to conduct a detailed analysis and public hearings before 
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relocating the 150 Division of Traffic Safety employees to 
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southern Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Benton is considered the leading candidate for the 
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new location, but Benton Mayor Gary Kraft said last week that 
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no structure in his city could house 150 new workers; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Covering moving expenses of displaced employees, 
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as promised by IDOT, could cost $2,500 to $4,100 per household; 
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and
 
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    WHEREAS, The numbers are rough estimates but underscore 
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that the expense of moving the division would offset the 
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savings IDOT expects from canceling a $1.7 million lease at the 
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current facility; and 
 
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    WHEREAS, A new State law, signed by Governor Blagojevich, 
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directs State government to give preference "whenever 
 


 






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operationally appropriate and economically feasible" to 
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locating facilities "in historic properties and in buildings 
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located within government recognized historic districts or 
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central business districts designated as such by a local or 
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regional planning agency"; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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urge the Governor to keep the Division of Traffic Safety of the 
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Department of Transportation in Springfield; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the Governor.