FYI - Illinois is beginning to close state parks.....

Wadcutter wrote:
...The state constitution requires a balanced budget be passed every year. The legislature passed an unbalanced budget anyway and the governor vetoed it. Since then the legislature, mainly the House Speaker, refuses to even discuss a budget for FY 2016.

Probably no way to address this without getting political so let's just say this is one sided and not entirely accurate. It is definitely a sad situation and those who wish to use the parks are but a few of those affected, including many to a much higher, in some cases life threatening, degree.

kknowlton wrote:
Illinois doesn't learn. The legislators keep spending, and voters keep returning them to the legislature. One of the reasons we moved away (and are glad we did so.)

It's not that IL keeps spending. IL currently can't spend. There's no spending authorization.
The 2016 fiscal year began 07/01/15. The IL legislature refuses to pass a budget therefore there can be no spending. Without a budget no money is allocated for spending. The FY 2017 budget is due to be passed by end of May this year and there is no movement on the FY 2016 budget.
The legislature did pass a budget for FY 2016 but it was unconstitutional in that it was $4 billion unbalanced. The state constitution requires a balanced budget be passed every year. The legislature passed an unbalanced budget anyway and the governor vetoed it. Since then the legislature, mainly the House Speaker, refuses to even discuss a budget for FY 2016.

Such closings depend on where the state facility gets its utilities. In the case of Horseshoe Lake and Ramsey SP the locales that supply the utilities are shutting off those parks for non-payment. Some rest areas have also been closed because the utility provider refused to carry the state any longer without being paid. There are been threats by some utility providers to shut off utilities to some state office buildings. Some vendors are refusing to do further business with state govt until the state pays back bills.

Illinois doesn't learn. The legislators keep spending, and voters keep returning them to the legislature. One of the reasons we moved away (and are glad we did so.)

Illinois? Who cares. lol

Such closings depend on where the state facility gets its utilities. In the case of Horseshoe Lake and Ramsey SP the locales that supply the utilities are shutting off those parks for non-payment. Some rest areas have also been closed because the utility provider refused to carry the state any longer without being paid. There are been threats by some utility providers to shut off utilities to some state office buildings. Some vendors are refusing to do further business with state govt until the state pays back bills.

Pere Marquette is one of our favorites. Wonder if it is next?