NW Illinois News

The Illinois General Assembly is looking to pass a bill that earmarks $166.5 million for various projects in lawmakers home districts across the state.

The bill, SB 2216 or the FY 18 Member Initiatives, contains appropriations for over 1,800 different projects across the state, with money coming from special state funds not related to the general operating budget. It was introduced by Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington).

State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) called the appropriations "earmarks" and "wasteful."

"I was shocked to see Senator Bill Brady's recently filed SB 2216, which is described as 'FY 18 Member Initiatives,'" McSweeney said. "Special earmarks lead to wasteful spending and potentially corruption. I strongly oppose special insider earmarks."

Projects in the northwest Illinois area include $350,000 to Lowden State Park for all costs associated with restoration projects; $300,000 to the City of Dixon for all costs associated with River Street parking reconstruction; $120,000 to the Historic Preservation Agency for all costs associated with the purchase of property near Grant's Home and the Grant Washburne Facility; and $113,730 to the City of Amboy for all costs associated with the construction of a new maintenance building.

Some of the biggest of these appropriations include approximately $6.4 million to the Commuter Rail Division of the Regional Transportation Authority for a Metra station at Peterson Avenue and Ravenswood Avenue in Chicago; $3.75 million to Kankakee Community College for infrastructure improvements; and $3 million to the Chicago Park District for the construction of a sports recreation facility in Morgan Park.

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What projects in northwest Illinois are being funded by SB 2216?

The table below shows the projects in the area that are being funded by this appropriations bill.

Department	Recipient	Recipient City	Recipient County	Total $	Copy
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Lowden State Park	Oregon	Ogle	$350,000	The sum of $350,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to Lowden State Park for all costs associated with restoration projects.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	City of Dixon	Dixon	Lee	$300,000	The sum of $300,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the City of Dixon for all costs associated with River Street parking reconstruction.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Historic Preservation Agency	Galena	Jo Daviess	$120,000	The sum of $120,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Historic Preservation Agency for all costs associated with the purchase of property near Grant’s Home and the Grant Washburne Facility.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	City of Amboy	Amboy	Lee	$113,730	The sum of $113,730, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the City of Amboy for all costs associated with the construction of a new maintenance building.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Ashton	Ashton	Lee	$112,500	The sum of $112,500, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Ashton for all costs associated with construction of a water main loop.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	City of Dixon	Dixon	Lee	$112,500	The sum of $112,500, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the City of Dixon for all costs associated with capital improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	City of Freeport	Freeport	Stephenson	$100,000	The sum of $100,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the City of Freeport for capital improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	City of Galesburg	Galesburg	Jo Daviess	$100,000	The sum of $100,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the City of Galesburg for all costs associated with construction of the National Railroad Hall of Fame.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Davis Junction	Davis Junction	Ogle	$75,000	The sum of $75,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Davis Junction for sewer and water infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Hanover	Hanover	Jo Daviess	$75,000	The sum of $75,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Hanover for all costs associated with improvements to the wastewater collection system.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Hillcrest	Hillcrest	Ogle	$75,000	The sum of $75,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Hillcrest for all costs associated with the construction of a new sewer system and other capital improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Franklin Grove	Franklin Grove	Lee	$64,513	The sum of $64,513, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Franklin Grove for all costs associated with construction of a new well house.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Scales Mound	Scales Mound	Jo Daviess	$58,500	The sum of $58,500, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Scales Mound for all costs associated with Village Hall renovation including handicap accessibility.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Scales	Scales Mound	Jo Daviess	$52,500	The sum of $52,500, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Scales Mound for infrastructure improvements to the Village Hall.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Dakota	Dakota	Stephenson	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Dakota for capital improvements to Main Street.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Davis	Davis	Stephenson	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Davis for all costs associated with infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Knox County Board	Galesburg	Jo Daviess	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Knox County Board for all costs associated with capital improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Leaf River	Leaf River	Ogle	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Leaf River for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Mount Morris	Mount Morris	Ogle	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Mount Morris for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Nora	Nora	Jo Daviess	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Nora for all costs associated with capital and infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Reynolds	Reynolds	Lee	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Reynolds for general infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Winslow	Winslow	Stephenson	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Winslow for all costs associated with water and sewer infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	City of Galena	Galena	Jo Daviess	$37,500	The sum of $37,500, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the City of Galena for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Hanover	Hanover	Jo Daviess	$37,500	The sum of $37,500, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Hanover for all costs associated with the replacement of a water tower and other infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Hanover Park	Hanover Park	Jo Daviess	$37,500	The sum of $37,500, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Hanover Park for reconstruction and infrastructure improvements to include all prior incurred costs.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Galena – Jo Davies County Historical Society and Museum	Galena	Jo Daviess	$35,300	The sum of $35,300, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Galena – Jo Davies County Historical Society and Museum for capital improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Warren	Warren	Jo Daviess	$1	The sum of $1, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Warren for all costs associated with the demolition of a water tower and other infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Stephenson County		Stephenson	$1	The sum of $1, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to Stephenson County for all costs associated with reconstruction of Forest and Pearl City Roads.