Sell the Executive Mansion?

by Kristina Rasmussen We’ve written about the cost of the Governor’s entourage (you know, your standard retinue of butlers, housemen, and laundresses). Today’s State Journal-Register features a thoughtful letter to the editor on closing the Executive Mansion down as a residence for the governor: In times of economic distress, tough choices have to be made. A family might decide to forego a...

by Kristina Rasmussen

We’ve written about the cost of the Governor’s entourage (you know, your standard retinue of butlers, housemen, and laundresses). Today’s State Journal-Register features a thoughtful letter to the editor on closing the Executive Mansion down as a residence for the governor:

In times of economic distress, tough choices have to be made.

A family might decide to forego a vacation and cable TV to pay for college tuition. A business might decide to eliminate year-end bonuses and executive retreats in order to save jobs.

It’s time for Illinois legislators to start making some tough decisions about what is really necessary in order to accomplish the mission of our state government. The mission being, of course, to serve the people of Illinois.

Illinois can no longer afford an official governor’s residence that we don’t need.

It has been many years since a governor has actually used the building as a residence, and it would be much less expensive to let him stay in a hotel for the few nights he is actually here.

If we were to no longer maintain an official residence for the governor, we would not be alone. Several states, including Arizona and California, lack an official residence for the governor.

Perhaps in this day and age, with transportation relatively easy and readily available, spending the night near the Capitol is old school.

What to do with the building if it is not an official residence?

It seems to me we should consider selling it to a social service agency for $1.

The city of Springfield is lacking in space for the homeless, and the proximity to the Capitol would be a huge advantage. Legislators would be given the opportunity to converse with the people staying there, people who have issues the state needs to deal with.

Obviously, the operation of the mansion is only a small portion of the state budget, but as Benjamin Franklin said, “Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.”

Valerie Crowley
Woodson

What’s your take? Should the governor’s mansion stay or should it go?