Chester Mental Health to close
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[CHESTER - On Thursday, state Rep. Jerry Costello II (D-Smithton) released the following statement regarding Governor Pat Quinn's planned closure of the Chester Mental Health Center:
"I am dismayed by the governor's out-of-touch efforts to close the Chester Mental Health Center, the state's only maximum security mental health facility. This puts hundreds of hard-working Illinoisans in the unemployment line.
We all recognize that Illinois is facing a financial crisis that will require government to cut back and reduce spending. But if the governor wants to show he is serious about getting the state to live within its means, he should focus on all of the waste and mismanagement that occurs in Springfield and Chicago on a daily basis before handing out pink slips in our region of the state.
Who is looking out for the best interest of taxpayers when everyday citizens are on the hook for state credit cards, cell phones, cars, and even airplanes while the governor slashes funding for vital services? Every line in the budget and every dollar spent should be examined with a fine tooth comb before laying off frontline staff and further driving up our state's unemployment rate.
The governor's plan is not a responsible way to address the state's financial problems, and I am asking for the help of those in our region to fight back. In a show of support and solidarity, I personally visited the Chester Mental Health facility as soon as I was made aware of the governor's statement to close the facility. To show the governor how wrong he is, I will be collecting signatures of local residents against his plan that I will personally deliver to his office in the coming weeks. Governor Quinn needs to know that he is making a mistake that will damage the local economy, affecting thousands of Southern Illinoisans, and make life even more difficult for many families who are already struggling to make ends meet. We need to collectively come together with a strong voice to let them know how important this facility is to the State of Illinois."
To add your name to Costello's petition to save the Chester Mental Health Center, or to request a blank copy that you can circulate in your neighborhood, please call Costello's office at (618) 443-5757, e-mail staterepcostello@gmail.com, or visit www.facebook.com/staterepcostello.