SPRINGFIELD - Four years after assailing pork barrel spending, new records show Gov. Rod Blagojevich OK'd more than $70 million in pet projects and programs for Democratic lawmakers in the new state budget.

Most of the largesse is bankrolling hundreds of social service and educational programs in his hometown of Chicago, but the spending also includes $75,000 for a parade celebrating Puerto Rican heritage in Chicago and $600,000 to help Saint Xavier University in Chicago upgrade its track and field program.

Documents detailing the previously secret spending agreements were released Tuesday by House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago.

They represent the results of the closed-door wheeling and dealing that led to the approval of the state budget in May.

"It's a terrible way to do business," said state Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth. "It's all just a backroom deal."

State Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, defended the agreements, saying they are necessary in a $55 billion budget.

"When you're talking about a specific project in the neighborhood of $350,000 or a $1 million, you sure don't want it to get lost in the shuffle," Bradley said. "If you put something down in writing it is a way to try and prevent it."

Along with millions of dollars headed to Chicago, there was a smattering of cash earmarked for projects in downstate areas represented by Democratic lawmakers, including:

- $2 million for the Rock Island-Milan school district to pay for an experimental learning system that uses three-dimensional images to teach students about science.

- $350,000 to help Shawnee Health Services of Carterville provide health care to low-income residents and illegal aliens.

- and, $150,000 to help Taylorville purchase emergency sirens.

It is the second time that Blagojevich has agreed to finance lawmakers' pet projects. Last year, he supported $21 million in similar funding.

This year's list includes $50,000 for the Assyrian Athletic Club in Chicago to provide adult education classes. The village of Gillespie in Macoupin County will receive $40,000 to buy new police cars.

Three American Legion posts will split $100,000 for veterans programs. A Chicago aldermen is receiving $154,000 to spend on street repairs in his ward.

The election-year spending spree, however, comes against the backdrop of Blagojevich's 2002 campaign, when he called $300,000 for a Springfield livestock show a symbol of "a way of doing business that has been permeating state government for far too long."

"I think that $300,000 is an example of arrogance," Blagojevich said at the time.

Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch defended this year's spending.

"This is what a democracy is. The governor has his priorities and the members have theirs. They have had the opportunity to solidify some of their commitments in the budget," she said.

State Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline, said he favors the process because it helps secure money for specific projects.

Republicans, however, said the release of the lengthy list shows how how pork-barrel politics continues to reign in Springfield, despite Blagojevich's earlier opposition to the concept of doling out legislative goodies.

State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, said the agreements show the distrust between rank-and-file lawmakers and the administration.

"Since 1818 until three years ago, a person's word was their bond in this business. Now you've got to have memorandums of understanding," Bost said. "There were a few of those memorandums of understanding signed two years ago that haven't been completed. So they're not worth the paper they're printed on."