[BCNnet] Sun Times article on IDNR and politics

[Randi Doeker - Chicago]

FYI - In case you missed this in the paper.  (The names were bolded by the
paper.)


Randi Doeker


Chicago


 


Politics always in season in Illinois 


May 10, 2006 

BY DALE BOWMAN STAFF REPORTER 

- Chicago Sun Times

UTICA, Ill. -- Sam Flood "has juice'' with Gov. Blagojevich. That's how one
Illinois Department of Natural Resources leader puts it. 

Maybe the acting director of the IDNR does, but Judy Baar Topinka did the
squeezing Monday at the annual Illinois outdoor writers and broadcasters
spring conference at Starved Rock State Park. 

"I ... am ... here,'' Topinka announced. "Want to know what I am thinking? I
am here. And I was at the recent meeting of the Illinois Conservation Forum
in Springfield. I was there.'' 

Blagojevich was not present. 

Disgruntled users of IDNR services -- conservationists, hunters, fishermen,
state-park visitors -- are considered a vulnerable constituency in the fall
gubernatorial election. Topinka pounds the subject every chance she has. 

I'd love to say rah-rah for Topinka because Blagojevich has done a horrific
job for conservation. But I have two problems with Topinka. 

One, I vote religiously to make sure people of Joe Birkett's ilk don't get
elected. Topinka's running mate may be better-spoken than Jim Oberweis, but
Birkett has the same right-wing cant. 

Two, I get the eerie impression Topinka has a pocket-sized version of Brent
Manning squeaking every time she addresses conservation. Manning served as
IDNR director under Jim Edgar and George Ryan. 

Despite the reservations, I lean toward Topinka. Blagojevich has stopped
hatcheting the IDNR, but he still has a long way to go to earn my vote. 

This is not the 1998 election, when both candidates -- Ryan and Glenn
Poshard -- cared about outdoor issues on a personal level and worked for
them at the political level. Neither Blagojevich nor Topinka has strong
connections to the outdoors, but at least Topinka is talking the talk. 

"Conservation should not be an afterthought or be seen as a luxury,'' she
said. "And as a state, we should view conservation in two important ways.
First of all, it is about jobs and economic development. I mean, these
places make money. People who hunt, fish, camp, boat, canoe, ride horses and
hike, they spend money. It keeps the economy going. 

"The current governor's actions suggest he thinks conservation is a drag on
the economy and does not warrant state dollars or attention. I could not
disagree more strongly. I see this as a beautiful, wonderful gold mine, a
place where you can really do great things. Conservation generates money and
creates jobs. One of my visions for Illinois is that we focus on expanding
conservation as an economic force, not weigh it down. We should also use
conservation as a powerful tool for improving life in Illinois.'' 

She would reinstate the Conservation Congress and rebuild the IDNR. She
would not raid dedicated funds. While not ruling it out, she balked at the
idea of a dedicated tax for conservation. 

"I will hire a natural-resource professional to run the department,'' she
said. "And my top managers are going to be natural-resource professionals.''


That sounds like Manning. 

"We talk with him with some regularity,'' Topinka said. "I have a great deal
of respect for Brent Manning.'' 

Manning is the kind of politician who makes hay by acting nonpolitical. 

Flood is unabashedly political. "I pride myself on the political offices I
have held, and I have run good offices,'' the St. Clair County politico said
in an interview Sunday. 

Flood, who grew up duck hunting on the backwaters by Grafton, knows this is
an election year, so his buzz words are "administrative abilities'' and
"common sense.'' 

"If I don't know the answer, I will ask somebody who does,'' Flood said. "I
won't pretend to say I know more about fish than [former fisheries chief]
Mike Conlin.'' 

Flood took over when Joel Brunsvold, another political appointee, stepped
down as IDNR director at the end of last year. Already, Flood has gained
respect for having "juice'' or access to Blagojevich that Brunsvold did not.


The difference shows. Critical vacancies are being filled. Through May 1, 41
new employees had been hired with another 35 expected by the end of June. In
the next budget, another 68 new employees are provided for. 

Deputy director Leslie Sgro said the new budget is $675,687,000, up 14.3
percent from last year. The operating budget within also is up 14 percent to
$218,555,000. 

Hardest hit remains law enforcement. Galen Westerfield, head of law
enforcement, said the 153 conservation police officers is the lowest in 30
years. The good news is a new class of 15 recruits will begin this winter.
The bad news for Chicago is that most recruits will end up here as
experienced CPOs transfer Downstate. 

The IDNR monument of the last four years -- the World Shooting &
Recreational Complex in Sparta -- is on schedule with a tentative July 11
ribbon-cutting. 

If regular operations of the IDNR went that swimmingly, my vote would be
different this fall.

 

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