23 Comments - Grand Avenue - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 3:44 pm: Can they save a few million bucks by combining the Obama Library and the Amazon HQ2 on the same campus? - Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 3:46 pm: I think it’s a great idea that will keep paying dividends far into the future. There can never be another first African-American president, so this makes Obama very consequential. This will add to Chicago’s already-record tourism and should help economically develop the Woodlawn neighborhood. This investment should by far more than pay for itself. - TopHatMonocle - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 3:56 pm: If they consider it along with subsidies for Amazon HQ2 then this $100 million will be inconsequential in comparison. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 3:56 pm: I guess my first blush thought(s) are we need to support the library, but how can we pay for it now with the added Rauner debt that Rauner himself is now addressing? This is what happens when you have a governor purposely destroying a state for an agenda, and when something as historically important and something in many ways a state should support, Rauner makes choices like this “trivial” when UIUC gets its rankings lower and the chancellor talks about 25 months of fiscal uncertainty as a root cause. That’s just ONE small, tiny example… It’s not about the affordability on its own, that would be one discussion I’d like, but the purposeful destruction Rauner promoted and those like Ms. Wheeler cheered, the discussion now is “recovery from Rauner” being paramount with this budget and short term bonding… now let’s talk Obama Library. It’s Rauner, again, picking and choosing who gets hurt, who doesn’t, and which libraries, here or at Dartmouth get his attention with money. - NIU Grad - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 3:57 pm: Aren’t these supposed to be paid for by a mix of federal money and donations raised by the former president? - We'll See - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 3:57 pm: I agree with Grandson. - Curl of the Burl - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 4:07 pm: Grandson - you and I rarely agree but those are great points. How about a PPP, though? - DuPage Saint - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 4:08 pm: As a conservative republican I think th money any ex president can make should finance their own overpriced memorial. That being said he is from here e at least as much as Grant so why not. As Illini we should be proud - don the legend - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 4:08 pm: Well said OW. Raunerites will never allow themselves to frame the issue this way. They see no connection between Rauner’s destructive actions and their consequences. - Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 4:19 pm: No. They already made their decision to locate here. Why are we going to give out $100 million we don’t have. - Nick Name - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 4:29 pm: To be an official presidential library administered by the National Archives and Records Administration, a presidential library must be paid for entirely out of private donations and “non-federal” funds. Not sure if that means state funds may be used. https://tinyurl.com/yckmce3s - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 4:29 pm: (Tips cap to - don the legend -) How much will Rauner publicly push it? It’s an election year in Obama’s home state, running as a Republican with Trump in the White House. Whew. - LevivotedforJudy - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 4:29 pm: Did any Obama representatives ask for any money from the state? Did the City of Chicago ask for it for the street/infrastructure changes? - Last Bull Moose - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 4:32 pm: My problem is that I do not think the additional $100 million will change the library. Obama raised $1 billion for reelection. He can raise the money for this. As OW said, we have been put in a hard place. Do we fund the museum or opioid treatment? Or just pay $12 million a year in interest on unpaid bills ad infinitum? - Longsummer - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 4:39 pm: To the update- thank goodness. How crazy would Obama have to be to ask the state of Illinois for $100 million? I mean our financial situation is a national story. Though some of the posts above made me feel like the lobbyists have already been hired to try and make it happen. Lol - wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 4:42 pm: Not needed. They’ve already committed to the site. Some mad businessman skills — give away $100 million in taxpayer dollars after the deal is done. Makes no sense. If he pushes it, it’s in reality a $100M taxpayer contribution to the Rauner re-election campaign, an effort to make nice noises to Obama supporters and run to the middle. - Inquiry - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 4:55 pm: Did Texas, Arkansas, California, Georgia, etc., pony up this kind of cash for Presidential Libraries? - Retired Educator - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 5:25 pm: While I did not vote for President Obama, I respect the man who holds the office. He should, like all recent former Presidents have a library. I think one in Chicago is a great idea. I am sure that along with state money, there will be tremendous amount of personal donations. These funds together should more then pay for the facility. It will be a boon for Chicago, and the State of Illinois.. - C'mon - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 5:38 pm: It’s bad enough that the Federal government subsidizes Presidential libraries to a significant degree. Let Obama do what other presidents have done, raise funds for his library from his own donors. - Hickory - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 6:03 pm: I suggest the Library Board talk to Mark Rich. - R U Kidding me? - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 11:19 pm: We can’t afford to fund a library for Obama with the state’s fiscal problems. And why honor a president who crippled and divided this country on racial issues and many other non-legal policy through executive orders. One of he worst presidents in my 59 years. - cc - Thursday, Sep 28, 17 @ 12:41 am: Illinois, supposedly, could not afford the Il. State Museum in Springfield. - Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 28, 17 @ 10:54 am: Please pay my dental bills Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.