SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois budget deadlock took on safety and inefficiency implications last October when secretary of state's police had to make cash pickups at driver's facilities because the armored-truck company hired to do it hadn't been paid and quit.
GardaWorld resumed service Feb. 8 after it received an overdue $79,000 payment. But that was only for work through last Friday, so taxpayers could be in the same predicament again.
Secretary of state's spokesman Henry Haupt armed pairs of police filled in. He agrees it wasn't ideal but the "safest and best option."
Security experts generally agree safety was not greatly compromised but officers were inefficiently used. And it cost the state $30,000 in overtime.
A GardaWorld spokeswoman says the company tries to work with clients who are late on payments.