Governor candidate Dan Rutherford in Pinckneyville today

Republican Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford, a candidate for governor in 2014, is at the Grecian Restaurant in Pinckneyville at 2:45 p.m. today to share his ideas on how the state should go about determining the closure of state facilities, then how to deal with the economies of the communities the closures affect.

"We saw Governors Blagojevich and Quinn abruptly announce closure of major state facilities with no plan in place. It was not long range and it was not strategic. Their actions negatively affected the lives of the hard working men and women at those facilities and the businesses in the communities like Tamms, Vandalia, Pontiac, Jacksonville, Dwight, Murphysboro, Rockford, Lincoln and Joliet. It affected state services and the residents of those facilities," said Rutherford. "This type of abrupt action would not occur under by governorship."

As governor, Rutherford said he would have his state agency directors develop a plan for each major facility, whether it was a correctional center, mental health or developmental services facility. He equates his strategy to what is used with the Illinois Department of Transportation Five Year Plan for road and bridge construction.

"Rutherford added, "Each state asset should be evaluated and a determination made as to how it fits into the overall mission of service needs. If a state asset can be deployed for better or alternative use, then it should be planned for and transitioned; no bombshell announcements like the Blagojevich and Quinn actions." He said overcrowding in the corrections facilities requires special planning. There are now 49,000 inmates housed in a system designed for 32,000."

Rutherford, of Pontiac, served as a member of the Illinois Senate from 2003 to 2011, and before that in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1993 to 2003.

Rutherford's public service career began following his graduation from Illinois State University as a legislative assistant in Springfield. In the GOP (Republican) Primary of 1980, Rutherford (then 24 years old) coordinated a congressional district for Governor Ronald Reagan's campaign. He lost in the November 2006 race for Illinois Sec. of State to incumbent Jesse White. Later, Rutherford won the open seat of Illinois Treasurer. On June 2, 2013, Rutherford officially announced his candidacy for Governor of Illinois. His running mate is attorney Steve Kim.