SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — "Stunned" is how one of the eight Illinois Department of Agriculture employees described receiving layoff notices days before the Illinois State Fair opened.
While the Springfield-based fair activities started Aug. 13 with its annual parade and opened for its first full day on Friday, eight employees with the state ag department’s Bureau of County Fairs and Horseracing received pink slips about a week before the fair’s start.
The layoffs announced to public employee unions by Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office impact a total of 171 employees. Most of them affect 107 employees within the Department of Natural Resources, including the entire staff of the Illinois State Museum, which the governor plans to close.
Others include 17 in the Department of Transportation, 24 at the Illinois Commerce Commission, eight in the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and seven at the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.
The layoffs are because of the Illinois’ budget crisis, said Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly, noting the layoffs are effective Sept. 30. Political bickering between the new Republican governor and the Democrats’ statehouse leadership has prevented adoption of a state budget. The most recent budget proposal contained a $4 billion deficit.
The impacted ag staff member commented on the condition that their name would not be revealed because of the political situation. "The timing on this layoff is not good for the fair, but that would be true for any layoff," the worker said, adding the public attending the fair is what motivates the staff to do deliver the best jobs possible.
Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) communications staff did not elaborate on the layoff decision beyond issuing a prepared statement from Director Philip Nelson: "In the absence of an FY 16 budget, layoffs are a reality. The department consists of a dedicated team of employees.
"Let’s not forget that there is a human side to this budget stalemate that is impacting real people with real lives, and we hope that (state House) Speaker (Michael) Madigan (D-Chicago) and the legislators that he controls can come to an agreement to stop these layoffs from taking effect," Nelson said.
Last year’s Springfield fair attendance was 847,000 attendees, and 2013 saw 961,000 visitors. An Illinois Auditor General’s Office report noted the Springfield fair lost $3.5 million in 2013 and roughly $3.3 million in 2012. Likewise, the Du Quoin fair lost $595,000 and $630,000, respectively.
Both the Springfield and Du Quoin fairs host harness racing and pari-mutuel betting on those races. There also are 32 county fairs hosting horse racing.
The IDOA website states the "Bureau of County Fairs and Horse Racing oversees the state’s horse racing programs, which provide monetary incentives to horse owners to encourage breeding, racing and ownership of quality horses in Illinois."
The Bureau also works with more than 100 fairs and related events.
The Springfield fair runs until Aug. 23. The Du Quoin fair in southern Illinois is Aug.28-Sept. 7.
