From the Southern Illinoisan

FAIR SPIN: DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS QUIBBLE OVER 1997 DU QUOIN STATE
FAIR PROFITABILITY
BY NICOLE SACK
THE SOUTHERN
[Tue Oct 26 2004]
WILLIAMSON COUNTY -- As the 59th District State Senate race hits the
final week before the election, the recent character attacks of both
candidates have left other issues, such as jobs and health care, on the
back burner.
On Monday, both the Democratic and Republican camps slogged through the
minutiae of this hotly-contested, multi-million dollar race.
Both Democrat Gary Forby's and Republican Ron Summers' campaigns took
steps to prove that one candidate is a lying while the other is telling
the truth over 10 days in 1997 -- that year's Du Quoin State Fair.
In Marion, a collection of Southern Illinois Democrats calling
themselves the "Truth Squad," led by former Sen. Larry Woolard, Rep. John
Bradley, D- Marion, and Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Norris City, went on the
offensive Monday afternoon to denounce some of Summers' campaign claims.
Forby did not attend the event because, according to Woolard, he was
out walking door-to-door, "talking individually to those people who will
be casting their votes. I think that is the best place in the world for
him to be at this time, now through election day."
Later that day, former Gov. Jim Edgar joined Summers in a press
conference at the Williamson County Regional Airport to dispute what the
"Truth Squad" had earlier said as well as give their side of the election
saga.
The three main issues discussed by both groups was: the 1997 Du Quoin
State Fair, the appointment of
Summers to an Illinois Department of Natural Resources position and
Summers' retirement plan. Both campaigns said they had proof the other was
stretching the truth.
The Truth Squad distributed copies of an incomplete compliance audit
from the Department of Agriculture, which runs the Du Quoin State Fair,
that shows in fiscal year 1997 the fair had a $281,482 deficit.
The auditor general's audit of the fair did not take into account
several special revenue funds. Woolard said those special revenue funds lost
over $3 million in 1997, adding to the deficit the year Summers claims
the fair turned a profit while he was the fair manager.
"The audits are factual, the audits do not lie and the audits do not
support that there was a profit made at the Du Quoin State Fair," Woolard
said. "If they want to say there was an improved condition, we may not
deny that. The fair has improved over several years and we believe that
while Ron Summers was there, some of that improvement took place. But
don't say we are lying about something when we have the proof."
To refute the assertion, Edgar said the audit cannot be used to
determine the success of the 10-day fair, since the audit covers the entire
365 days of the year.
Edgar said he did recall 1997 was the first year the fair had made more
money than it spent, which was significant since the Du Quoin State
Fair never had turned a profit.
"I was somewhat startled that we took in more than we spent," Edgar
said. "For the first time, the fair took in more than it spent and we felt
in state government that doesn't happen a lot."
Dave Bender, assistant director of the Department of Agriculture from
1995 to 1999, said while the 10 days of the 1997 did see more revenues
than expenditures, he could not give an solid figure on how much money
was generated.
To end the head-scratching among the three men, Edgar interjected, "I
think they told me the number. It wasn't in the millions, but it
astounded me that we took in more than we spent."
Edgar did have a solid answer on who appointed Summers to an IDNR
position in 1998. Edgar said he did, and not former Gov. George Ryan.
"If you know anything about politics Jim Edgar's people and George
Ryan's people weren't real close -- particularly in Southern Illinois. He
was tied to me, so if people don't like me, then I can understand that
they may not like him. I don't think it is fair to tie him to someone he
wasn't really tied to," Edgar said, responding to a claim made by
Democrats that Summers was also appointed by Ryan's administration.
The Truth Squad did provide a Oct. 2002 letter from then-IDNR Director
Brent Manning that notified Summers of his four-year term appointment
renewal, which would bring Summers under the Ryan administration's
umbrella.
The renewal became effective on Dec. 16, 2002. Summers retired from the
state on Dec. 31, 2002, after working for the state for nearly 19
years.
Ryan, who is currently under indictment by the federal government, is a
particular sore spot for Southern Illinois Democrats because he
defeated Democrat Glenn Poshard for the governor's office in 1998 as well as
sinking the state into a $5 billion deficit.
Summers' retirement package was also called into question by the Truth
Squad, who said he received a "sweetheart deal" of a retirement plan by
participating in the George Ryan Early Retirement Initiative, where
Summers qualified for free health care insurance for the rest of his life.
"I exercised the options of the early retirement initiative as did
12,000 other people in the state of Illinois," Summers said, "which was
legislation supported by Larry Woolard and Gary Forby."
nicole.sack@thesouthern.com 618-351-5816