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Illinois construction program continues to grow
By Kurt Erickson
kurt.erickson@lee.net
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SPRINGFIELD -- The price tag of a statewide construction program ballooned again Friday. As Illinois lawmakers rumbled down the bumpy road toward a possible adjournment Saturday, the cost of a long-sought construction program grew to nearly $34 billion, up from $25 billion just a week ago.

In addition to a construction program, lawmakers were attempting to come together on an overall state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

It wasn’t clear whether the construction plan would come up for a vote before today’s midnight adjournment deadline, but supporters were pulling out the stops to get the program approved.

One of the ways was to continue adding projects to the list in hopes of luring more lawmakers into voting for the program.

To pay for the construction plan, lawmakers were considering Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s multibillion-dollar proposal to expand gambling and lease of the state lottery.

Included in the mix was the possibility of adding three new casinos, including one in Chicago, one in its suburbs and one in a downstate city.

“They are working on language to give an edge or an opportunity for a downstate community to have a shot at one,” said House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego.

Blagojevich aides said the downstate location had not been decided yet.

The path toward a resolution for the spring legislative session was interrupted Friday by stormy weather that rolled through the capital city. Lawmakers and key budget negotiators were forced to huddle in the tunnels beneath the Capitol building while tornadoes were reported in the area.

By 7 p.m., the House canceled its session for the evening, putting pressure on lawmakers to finish their work by today’s midnight deadline. The Senate stayed on the job, but was on course to end earlier in the evening that expected.

House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, cast dark clouds on the prospects of any significant agreement between lawmakers and Blagojevich before tonight’s deadline.

“I would just plan for the worst,” Madigan said, harkening back to last year’s record-breaking overtime session.

Budget still unsettled

Under one budget plan being considered, spending on regular state operations would jump $2.1 billion over the current budget. The Democrat-crafted plan would pump an additional $367 million to schools, down from the $550 million in new funding that went to schools this year.

The proposal would give universities a 2.8 percent increase over the current fiscal year and would fund an 80-bed expansion of the LaSalle veterans home.

The plan also would overrule Blagojevich’s earlier bid to close Pontiac Correctional Center by earmarking enough money to keep all of the state’s prisons open.

In addition, the spending proposal would add money to fully open the state’s unused maximum-security prison in Thomson, which was built in 2001, but never opened.

But, Madigan and state Sen. Donne Trotter, D-Chicago, acknowledged the state may not have enough money to pay for all the programs. That could give Blagojevich the opportunity to use his veto pen to slash spending on facilities and programs.

Republicans said Democrats may be setting up state residents for a post-election tax increase. State Rep. Roger Eddy, R-Hutsonville, called it the “November surprise.”

As for the proposed $34 billion construction program, the gambling expansion plan would grant Chicago a casino license and allow the state to open two more casinos in unidentified locations, including one downstate.

The long-dormant 10th casino license would be sold for more than $500 million.

In all, the state’s current fleet of nine casinos would rise to 13 in order to help fund new roads, bridges and school buildings

In addition, horsetracks would be allowed to have slot machines and existing casinos would be allowed to add thousands of new gambling machines, including video poker.

The plan to lease the state lottery would set a minimum $10 billion bid for the lottery. The state would keep a 20 percent share of the lottery.

The plan calls for the state to use $7 billion of the proceeds to pay for construction projects, while the remainder would go toward schools.



State projects



Following is a sampling of projects included in the statewide construction program:

-- $150 million – Coal, biodiesel and ethanol research and development programs

-- $54.5 million – transportation and education building at Southern Illinois University

-- $50.6 million – Construction of Centennial East/West Visual Arts Center at Illinois State University

-- $25 million – Power station upgrade at Eastern Illinois University

-- $21.8 million – Equipment for Morris Library at SIU

-- $15.2 million – Western Illinois University riverfront campus in Quad-Cities

-- $7.4 million – Upgrades to roofs and kitchen at Shawnee Correctional Center in Vienna

-- $4.4 million – Upgrades to facilities at Choate Mental Health Center in Anna

-- $3.7 million – Upgrades to boiler and steam lines at Pontiac Correctional Center

-- $3.4 million – Improvements at Sparta World Shooting Complex in southern Illinois

-- $1.5 million – Fine arts center equipment at EIU

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Reader comments on this story - 2 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Woodford Pundit wrote on May 31, 2008 9:32 AM:

" THis is just ridiculous. Where are the Republicans? Only three voted in the House to prevent giving this crooked Gov. Billions more in money (gambling) to dole out to his buddies and keep from his enemies list. "

Tripper wrote on May 31, 2008 7:19 AM:

" Sounds like pigs feeding at the trough. "
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