Read more: Local, Community, State, Politics, Illinois, Budget, Corrections, Layoffs, Cuts
You'll recall Tuesday Illinois Governor Pat Quinn vetoed a budget from the General Assembly, claiming it didn't go far enough in efforts to balance the state's budget.That's when he proposed a budget with one billion dollars in cuts on the state level.
In addition to asking state employees to take 12 unpaid furlough days, he's making cuts to nearly every state agency in order to try to fill a deficit of roughly $11.6 billion.
Much of the savings will come through laying off 2,600 employees.
Nearly half of those layoffs would come from Department of Corrections.
According to American Federation of State, County and Municipal employees' union leaders, the state sent out a layoff plan for the correctional system Wednesday.
It lists the first wave of 500 employees who will lose their jobs in six minimum security facilities around the state.
Those layoffs take affect September 30.
None of the prisons hit were here in the Tri-States, but this first wave of pink slips is only half of what is expected in the coming days.
Mike Oeser is the President of AFSCME Local 3567, which covers the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt Sterling Prison and the Clayton Work Camp.
He says the prison system hasn't been fully staffed for nearly a decade. Now these cuts will make a serious situation even worse. Oeser says assaults to staff have been on the rise, and so have assaults between inmates.
He says cutting staff will make these risky jobs more dangerous.
Do you think these cuts compromise safety?
Oeser said, "They will compromise safety within the facility and furthermore these cuts might include the release of inmates into the community, then you've compromised the safety of the community."
Meanwhile AFSCME says the Department of Corrections is looking to reduce its prison populations at minimum security facilities affected by the lay offs.
Early releases are being planned for around six thousand non-violent, drug offenders over the age of 55.
The tough choices budget also includes $140 million in cuts to the state's Medicaid and health insurance programs.
That includes slashing funding for the Illinois Cares Prescription Program by 25 percent.
Illinois Cares is a program which lowers the cost of prescriptions for low income seniors.
We talked with Todd Shackleford with the West Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging.
He says those cuts mean seniors in the program will be paying 25 percent more for their prescription drugs.
Shackleford says increases to senior co-pays will hit seniors with several prescriptions or taking more expensive drugs the hardest.
Todd Shackleford, the Assistant Director of the Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging said, "Maybe 25 percent doesn't sound like a large increase but on a low income senior with multiple medications it's going to add up to some real dollars that are going to have to come from somewhere."
Shackleford says this comes at a bad time for seniors on a limited income, as prices for rent, utilities and food continue to go up. He says this may force some seniors to make tough decisions on already tight budgets.
