Thomson prison focus of House District 71 race

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By Barb Ickes | Thursday, October 23, 2008 10:18 PM CDT | () comments

The longtime occupant of Illinois’ 71st House District seat said he is to be credited for the progress that has been made at the new-but-barely-used Thomson Correctional Center.

But the challenger for the seat is running largely on a claim that much more should have been done to get the prison fully open.

Mike Boland, who has represented the 71st District for 14 years, said it was his work with Democratic leadership that last year coaxed the partial opening of Thomson, adding that the long-dormant prison soon will be getting more use.

But a fully operational prison at Thomson cannot come fast enough for Boland’s opponent, Republican Lawrence Bruckner. He has a personal stake in the prison, having built a hotel and café in Thomson to accommodate the town’s growth, which has not materialized.

“Mr. Boland has always been a gentleman and very nice to me,” the lawyer said. “He just hasn’t gotten it done. He thinks we have to accommodate Chicago.”

Bruckner said Boland should have been more aggressive, and the state should operate more like a business. He said he has seen too much irresponsibility in government, which is another reason he joined the race.

The two candidates agree — to a certain extent — on the government’s role in helping certain communities within the district weather a current crisis.

“One of my priorities for the next term is water-sewer grants,” Boland said. “We have an aging infrastructure, especially water and sewer lines. A capital bill is needed, especially for East Moline, Port Byron and Savanna.

“Those three communities have a severe problem.”

Bruckner agrees that the towns, along with others, need new infrastructure. The state’s role in paying for it is another matter.

“I want to see a capital bill plan, but Thomson was built on one, and we never had the money to open it,” he said. “If the money could be found somewhere — sure. But all of those communities (East Moline, Port Byron and Savanna) should’ve had higher water and sewer rates for years.”

Another priority for Boland, he said, is his bill dubbed 21st Century Scholarship, which gives high school graduates a free year of community college, provided they maintain a certain grade-point average and stay out of trouble.

He would fund the bill through a new $100 court fee related to certain crimes.

Bruckner said he does not favor such a bill.

“The best thing to do is keep the cost of college more affordable,” he said. “With this economy going now, we’re creating more debtor prisons (because) you have more deadbeats.”

Barb Ickes can be contacted at (563) 383-2316 or bickes@qctimes.com.