During the 2002 campaign, candidate Rod Blagojevich made all sorts of promises to state employees to re-open state facilities that Governor George Ryan had closed or scheduled for closing.

Blagojevich also promised to open facilities that were completed, but had not been opened, supposedly to save money in admittedly tight times.

One of the facilities that Blagojevich promised to re-open was the Developmental Center in Lincoln.

To put Ryan’s closing in perspective, it costs much more money to take care of the disabled in state facilities than it does in community settings.

When that budget came before an appropriations committee I served on, I always asked if at least 50% of that part of the budget were going to the community agencies. They care for most of the affected people.

(Pioneer Center is the agency that does most of that in McHenry County, although I think Little City had at least two group homes in 2000, maybe more now.)

Once, under Ryan, the Director of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities said she a majority of the DD money was going to community agencies.

I wonder if it does now.

In any event, Blagojevich’s promise is kaput, according to Capitol Fax Blog. (See the 5:28 PM entry here.)

No one will be surprised that he has broken another promise.