Friday, January 28, 2005
From Today Trib
Ok I am glad he got his job back, the only questions I have are...
Is the DNR going to have to let someone else go instead so he can keep his job?
Is it really fair that he gets to keep his job because he is disabled and/or because it caused bad PR for the governor?
What about other people let go by the state inside and outside the DNR who have family issues that the layoff has caused family hardship can they expect the governor to show 'compassion'?
Isn't kind of sad that it is logical to look at this governor with this level of doubt?
OneMan
Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Friday ordered the state Department of Natural Resources to rehire a paraplegic man who was laid off from his mechanic's job at a state park and told he had to give back his state-owned wheelchair.
Ok I am glad he got his job back, the only questions I have are...
Is the DNR going to have to let someone else go instead so he can keep his job?
Is it really fair that he gets to keep his job because he is disabled and/or because it caused bad PR for the governor?
What about other people let go by the state inside and outside the DNR who have family issues that the layoff has caused family hardship can they expect the governor to show 'compassion'?
Isn't kind of sad that it is logical to look at this governor with this level of doubt?
OneMan
Comments:
This story attempts to answer your questions, kind of, but probably just raises more of the is this fair variety for critical readers like you.
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsnews/305nd3.htm
Blagojevich rehires employee who had lost wheelchair
Sunday, January 30, 2005
SPRINGFIELD — A paraplegic man who was laid off from his mechanic's job at a state park and forced to give up his government-owned wheelchair got both his job and his wheelchair back Friday.
Arthur "Red" Burchyett returned to work Friday after Gov. Rod Blagojevich reinstated his job repairing equipment at the Union County Wildlife Refuge in southern Illinois.
The Jonesboro man had been a mechanic at the refuge for 24 years until he was laid off Jan. 14, along with 86 other Department of Natural Resources employees, because of budget cuts.
He was required to leave behind the $25,000 custom-made motorized wheelchair, which the state bought him 11 years ago to help on the job after he was hurt in a tractor accident, because it was state property.
A spokeswoman said Blagojevich called Burchyett after seeing a story detailing his plight in Friday's Chicago Tribune.
"The governor thinks in the circumstance that the job is very important to Mr. Burchyett," spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said. "The governor believed that was a compassionate response to this situation."
Two state senators said they had been trying for weeks to get the Blagojevich administration to rehire Burchyett or let him keep his chair.
Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, said he even brought up the issue during a conference call with Blagojevich and other legislative leaders. Rausch said Blagojevich does not recall that happening and said he only learned about Burchyett's situation Friday.
Burchyett did not return messages left at his home and office.
The lawmakers lobbying on Burchyett's behalf said they were pleased, although they continue to accuse the Democratic governor of using layoffs to get rid of people hired during Republican administrations.
"With all these political firings, which most of them are, I'm glad to see he has compassion for people who are less fortunate," Watson said.
Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, said he had been looking into Burchyett's situation since the Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale first reported it Jan. 1.
"I guess the pressure just built to the point where he felt it would be in his, the governor's, best interest to hire him back," Luechtefeld said.
DNR officials were trying to find the money to pay Burchyett's $47,000 salary, but would not need to lay off another employee to do it, Rausch said. Rausch said she doesn't know what Blagojevich will do when other people encounter hardships because they lost their state jobs. "If another situation arises we'll deal with it appropriately," she said. "We are trying to do more with less in state government and that means running the state with fewer employees so we can avoid raising taxes, but there are always exceptions to rules and this is one of them."
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsnews/305nd3.htm
Blagojevich rehires employee who had lost wheelchair
Sunday, January 30, 2005
SPRINGFIELD — A paraplegic man who was laid off from his mechanic's job at a state park and forced to give up his government-owned wheelchair got both his job and his wheelchair back Friday.
Arthur "Red" Burchyett returned to work Friday after Gov. Rod Blagojevich reinstated his job repairing equipment at the Union County Wildlife Refuge in southern Illinois.
The Jonesboro man had been a mechanic at the refuge for 24 years until he was laid off Jan. 14, along with 86 other Department of Natural Resources employees, because of budget cuts.
He was required to leave behind the $25,000 custom-made motorized wheelchair, which the state bought him 11 years ago to help on the job after he was hurt in a tractor accident, because it was state property.
A spokeswoman said Blagojevich called Burchyett after seeing a story detailing his plight in Friday's Chicago Tribune.
"The governor thinks in the circumstance that the job is very important to Mr. Burchyett," spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said. "The governor believed that was a compassionate response to this situation."
Two state senators said they had been trying for weeks to get the Blagojevich administration to rehire Burchyett or let him keep his chair.
Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, said he even brought up the issue during a conference call with Blagojevich and other legislative leaders. Rausch said Blagojevich does not recall that happening and said he only learned about Burchyett's situation Friday.
Burchyett did not return messages left at his home and office.
The lawmakers lobbying on Burchyett's behalf said they were pleased, although they continue to accuse the Democratic governor of using layoffs to get rid of people hired during Republican administrations.
"With all these political firings, which most of them are, I'm glad to see he has compassion for people who are less fortunate," Watson said.
Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, said he had been looking into Burchyett's situation since the Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale first reported it Jan. 1.
"I guess the pressure just built to the point where he felt it would be in his, the governor's, best interest to hire him back," Luechtefeld said.
DNR officials were trying to find the money to pay Burchyett's $47,000 salary, but would not need to lay off another employee to do it, Rausch said. Rausch said she doesn't know what Blagojevich will do when other people encounter hardships because they lost their state jobs. "If another situation arises we'll deal with it appropriately," she said. "We are trying to do more with less in state government and that means running the state with fewer employees so we can avoid raising taxes, but there are always exceptions to rules and this is one of them."
# posted by 
: 4:30 PM
: 4:30 PM
Actually this story is the best at taking blago to task.
SPRINGFIELD -- After campaigning on a promise not to balance the budget on the backs of working men and women, Gov. Rod Blagojevich realized Friday that laying off a paralyzed worker and taking away his wheelchair could be a public relations nightmare.
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SPRINGFIELD -- After campaigning on a promise not to balance the budget on the backs of working men and women, Gov. Rod Blagojevich realized Friday that laying off a paralyzed worker and taking away his wheelchair could be a public relations nightmare.
# posted by : 5:43 PM
: 5:43 PM
