LETTERS

Please, no more
new state prisons

In the last two decades, the state of Illinois has gone prison-building crazy. There have been 17 new prisons built in the last 20 years (see Illinois Issues, April, 1998, page 10).

As of 1998, the Department of Corrections is spending nearly $1 billion per year to operate them. There are several departments in the state where budgets are less. It's time to downsize the Illinois prison system.

Please tell the new governor, state senators and representatives: No more prisons!

All the money wasted on prisons could be better used for all faith- based organizations to [help] the poor, needy and hungry people. That will save the state of Illinois millions of dollars.

George Culley

West Frankfort

Periodic bidding for casino licenses

Your April editorial cartoon denigrates state Sen. [and candidate for U.S. Senate] Peter Fitzgerald, suggesting his ideas come from "fairy tale land." (See back cover.) One of Peter's ideas is to require periodic bidding for casino licenses. This idea may or may not have originated with Peter, but I understand it is standard operating procedure in Greece. It is an idea which would improve the situation in Illinois, if followed. Don't you agree?
Cat Skinner Jr.
State Representative
64th District

Computer gremlins

Thanks for the interest in Jennifer Davis' article, "Thinking twice about hypersprawl," (April, page 26). Quite a few readers called to see how the article ends. In fact, one line was dropped. The last word: "... development." We hate to blame technology, but that's our best explanation. We apologize for the frustration.

44 / May 1998 Illinois Issues