SPRINGFIELD - Employees in the traffic safety division of the Illinois Department of Transportation are used to coming up with clever slogans for state programs, including "Click it or Ticket" and "Start Seeing Motorcycles."

But this week, division employees threatened by Gov. Rod Blagojevich's proposal to move 148 of their jobs to Southern Illinois started using their professional skills for personal reasons.

During the next few months, employees opposed to the transfer will sport "I'll move south when the governor moves to Springfield" window stickers on their cars, expressing their frustration with Blagojevich's plan.

The governor's plan is to move the division to a Southern Illinois location as a way to boost employment in the region. The governor says he has "pretty much" already decided on a location and will disclose it sometime before July 4.

However, before making such a decision, the governor is obligated to review findings of two legislative hearings.

The hearings have yet to be scheduled, but could take place sometime between July and August, said Dan Long, director of the Commission of Government Forecasting and Accountability, which provides financial analysis and forecasting for the General Assembly.

On Wednesday, workers are planning to share their dissatisfaction for this and other Blagojevich plans during a noon rally outside the state capitol building.

"They are not new jobs, it kills us to hear that. People are not going to just give up their jobs," said employee Amanda Abeln. "It makes you wonder what their intentions are."

Although Abeln and her colleagues are balking at the idea of moving, she also says she would rather rent a place with co-workers wherever the new office is and come back to Springfield on weekends.

"I've worked hard for my job," she said, adding that she would do her shopping when she came home and would not help the governor with his plan to stimulate a region.

"Everyone is really upset. No one wants to move their home," Abeln said.

Kartikay Mehrotra can be reached at kartikay.mehrotra@lee.net or 789-0865.