Republican gubernatorial candidate Kirk Dillard this morning raised doubts over rival Jim Ryan's proposal to privatize Illinois' highways, calling for guarantees that tolls would not "skyrocket" if a private owner took them over.
In a Chicago press conference today, Dillard also attacked Gov. Pat Quinn for allowing an unpublicized early-release program for state prisoners, and he condemned a plan to bring Guantanamo Bay detainees to the job-starved village of Thomson.
Dillard said privatizing the Illinois tollway, an old proposal rekindled by former Illinois Attorney General Ryan on Monday, should come with limitations to toll hikes, and that revenue from a sale would go toward state infrastructure rather than operating funds.
He expressed doubt that either condition would ultimately be part of a deal, and that he would therefore be unlikely to support privatization.
"We need to be very, very cautious," said Dillard, who represents a suburban district of Illinois. He argued since that commuting suburbanites pay more tolls than city dwellers, tollway money should not go toward programs that serve primarily urban residents.
Dillard also called for Illinois Senate President John Cullerton and House Speaker Michael Madigan to convene a committee of the whole to examine "who knew what when" regarding an early-release program for state prisoners.
Under the program, known as MGT Push, more than 1,700 prisoners were let go from prison an average of 37 days earlier than they would have under a previous policy.
"Violent criminals should not be getting released into the streets of Illinois," Dillard said. "It's a mockery to the victims of the crimes, to the families and to the men and women of law enforcement."
Since The Associated Press revealed the program in December, Quinn has suspended it, calling its handling a "big mistake," and he has appointed a new chief public safety officer at the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Yet Quinn continues to support a plan that would bring Guantanamo Bay detainees suspected of terrorism to Illinois, a proposal that Dillard also attacked in his appearance today at the Union League Club.
While proponents, including President Barack Obama, say that the plan would bring thousands of prison-related jobs to Thomson, some Republicans have raised security concerns.
Dillard said his opposition to the plan does not relate to whether a terrorist would escape from the proposed Supermax prison.
Instead, he juxtaposed the long-vacant Thomson facility with prisoners released early under the MGT program, suggesting it could serve another purpose.
He also questioned the wisdom of "economic development through prisons."
"Importing jobs should not be equating importing terrorists to Illinois," Dillard said. "If we're going to have job creation come to Illinois, it should be in the private sector."