Paul Schimpf, the Republican candidate for the District 58 state Senate seat, recently held his first “Six Reasons to Pick Paul in 2016" interview in front of the now-closed Illinois Youth Center (IYC) in Murphysboro.
As the first reason, Schimpf said he would be an independent leader and vowed to continue his independent stance and judgment while serving his constituents.
Paul Schimpf
| Contributed photo
Former employees of the IYC were present and shared their experiences with Schimpf's opponent, state Sen. Sheila Simon (D-Carbondale), in interviews with WSIL News. When the IYC closed, Simon was Illinois' lieutenant governor.
"I challenge people, tell me one thing Sheila Simon did for Southern Illinois while she was lieutenant governor, and I can't come up with anything," Shaun Mulrooney, a former IYC employee and state worker, told WSIL News. "I've even Googled it. There is nothing out there. In my opinion, Sheila was just lock, stock and barrel with the Chicago Machine and (House Speaker) Mike Madigan (D-Chicago)."
The IYC closed in 2012 as part of former Gov. Pat Quinn's effort to close state facilities in downstate Illinois. The estimated $57 million in savings from the controversial move went to other state programs.
"When we were going through the closure process, we had support from both sides of the aisle," Mulrooney told WSIL News. "It seems as though jobs in Southern Illinois are more of a bipartisan issue, and the only person not present during the closure process was Sheila Simon."
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