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Hynes Wants Quinn to Fire Blago Employees
State Comptroller Dan Hynes is urging the governor to fire a different group of state workers.

Hynes, who is running against Gov. Pat Quinn in the Democratic primary for governor, says the state should fire some employees who serve at the discretion of the governor, who were appointed by the previous governor. He says there are 1,600 appointees of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich who draw annual salaries in excess of $70,000. He says if the state would eliminate half those positions, the saving would be $100 million..

The governor is trying to lay off 2,600 rank-and-file state workers, but has been stymied by a judge in Vienna who is hearing objections from AFSCME, the union that represents the bulk of state workers..

Hynes made his comments as he was endorsed by the International Union of Operating Engineers, representing 48,000 workers in Illinois, including heavy equipment operators at construction sites and building engineers. About 500 work for the state as building engineers.

The union's leader criticized the state's capital program, enacted by Quinn, as un-funded because of its reliance on video poker proceeds. A number of cities and counties have decided not to allow video poker.

(Illinois Radio Network)
10 14 09 by Newsroom
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