* Bill Ruthhart at the Tribune…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is one of three governors and five mayors who will join President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday for a bipartisan meeting on infrastructure.
The gathering comes as Biden continues to rally support for a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package, even as questions remain about how to pay for the massive spending bill.
Pritzker is scheduled to attend the 2 p.m. meeting in the Roosevelt Room at the White House along with four fellow Democrats — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Mayors Nan Whaley of Dayton, Ohio; Kate Gallego of Phoenix; and Michael Hancock of Denver. They will be joined by three Republicans — Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt and Mobile, Alabama, Mayor Sandy Stimpson.
Biden will emphasize common ground found in $1.2 trillion deal agreed upon by a bipartisan group of senators. Proponents say the plan would stimulate the economy by pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into the construction of roads, bridges and highways, while also expanding transit and providing high-speed internet access in rural areas. […]
Pritzker has said the state’s program, which was funded largely by an increase in the state gas tax, means Illinois will immediately have the money available to match federal funds made available through Biden’s infrastructure plan.
* Lynn Sweet…
Pritzker press secretary Jordan Abudayyeh said Biden invited Pritzker to the White House “to discuss the critical need for nationwide infrastructure investments, along with the success of Illinois’ own historic bipartisan capital plan.
“The governor also anticipates discussing other major issues such as the need for a national approach to addressing the pandemic’s impact on unemployment funds and combatting gun violence. The governor will also meet with White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Pritzker is a strong supporter of Biden’s infrastructure proposals — things like airports, broadband, roads and bridges — and the second bill, with items dealing with the climate, education and child care.
Biden and Pritzker met when the president was in Crystal Lake on July 7 where he talked about his “Build Back Better” agenda and infrastructure plans at McHenry County College.
- DEE - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 9:38 am:
J.B. visiting/scouting his next living quarters??
- Friendly Bob Adams - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 9:41 am:
It’s hugely important for some kind of infrastructure deal to pass Congress. It turned out that four years of waiting for “infrastructure week” was a bad joke. Things are falling apart, so let’s fix it up.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 9:44 am:
=== his next living quarters===
“One race at a time”
- Governor Jack O’Malley
To the post,
It’s right and just the governor of Illinois, now JB Pritzker, be not only included in a meeting like this, but be one to have a voice in it too; Airport, Great Lakes, Rail (commuter, travel, commerce), Illinois, and Chicago in a microcosm, is the center of not only the country’s “roads, planes, and rails” but the center of the commerce for the country, and Illinois role in infrastructure is critical for the country.
Good to see Illinois’ governor engaged in this.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 9:45 am:
Might also want to meet with the President about the Federal strike force to quell the gun violence in Illinois
- Blue Dog - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 10:20 am:
Why would JB want to discuss gun violence in his state. It’s all Indiana’s fault.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 11:17 am:
Driving on the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago really shows the need for infrastructure improvement. That’s some heavily-traveled road with big need of repair.
Great on JB for going to meet Biden today. Infrastructure improvement is a massive deal. JB is an infrastructure leader. If Biden can get both infrastructure packages to his desk (bipartisan and Democratic), it will be major.
Barring any major controversies or problems, JB gonna have a lot to run on for re-election.
“Might also want to meet with the President about the Federal strike force to quell the gun violence in Illinois”
This thread is about infrastructure, but since this purposeful distraction was issued, might as well answer: Chicago’s top cop met with Biden yesterday and says he got the federal resources. So things are going according to plan. Also, the right wing and Republicans support a major cause of gun violence: unrestricted access to firearms. Maybe it’s best to not clutch phony pearls.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 11:33 am:
The thread is about the Governor of our state meeting with the President today in the White House.
Crime in Chicago and other major cities is a crisis, not a purposeful distraction by “pearl clutchers”. Did you happen to notice who won the Democratic nomination for Mayor of NY?
Might not want to take that victory lap yet about the crime problem solution going according to plan.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 11:44 am:
===Did you happen to notice who won the Democratic nomination for Mayor of NY?===
Did you? He’s a moderate.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 11:46 am:
==Why would JB want to discuss gun violence in his state. It’s all Indiana’s fault.==
Do some of you try to be ignorant or does it just come naturally?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 11:47 am:
===Might not want to take that victory lap yet about the crime problem solution going according to plan.===
Again, who exactly is taking any victory lap on this?
How you have the straw to make these straw men.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 11:47 am:
===Do some of you try to be ignorant===
No, they’re professional Facebookers.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 11:47 am:
“This thread is about infrastructure”
And gun violence (oops).
“unrestricted access to firearms”
Maybe not totally unrestricted but free and easy (oops again).
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 11:52 am:
===Did you happen to notice who won the Democratic nomination for Mayor of NY?===
Your party has no statewide offices, is perpetually in a super-minority status in both legislative chambers, is a minority on the Supreme Court, and yet you spend all of your time on here giving Democrats “advice.”
Maybe use some of that great mind of yours to come up with solutions for your own party for a change.
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 11:54 am:
==Driving on the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago really shows the need for infrastructure improvement. That’s some heavily-traveled road with big need of repair.==
Likewise for I-55 around Springfield, including and especially the area where it’s multiplexed with I-72. Still two lanes per direction despite the rest of the interstate from the Auburn exit to Lincoln being 3 lanes. I know it’s on the radar to be widened but maybe the Governor could push to get it started say, next year?
Veterans Parkway is also needing widening and a total rebuild too on the west side of Springfield too. And its own expansion to 3 lanes per direction in its own right. And finish the extension of MacArthur Boulevard to Iron Bridge Lane/Woodside Road like should have been done 12 years ago.
And I could name many road projects I would like to see happen in the Springfield and western Illinois areas too (e.g., finish 336, new Beardstown bridge, widen the roads entering Chatham). Even if I’m the only one that proposes a certain project (e.g., 4-lane bypass around the west side of Chatham).
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 11:54 am:
===Veterans Parkway is also needing widening===
LOL.
Please.
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 12:05 pm:
=====Veterans Parkway is also needing widening===
LOL.
Please.==
Or at the very least, synchronize the stoplights on Veterans (and 6th Street from South Grand to Southern View and 55/72). In addition to all the talk about synchronizing the downtown lights.
- DuPage - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 1:47 pm:
Suggestions
1. The Joliet I-80 bridges.
2. The Iliana expressway. It would take some of the excess traffic off the existing bottlenecks.
Other suggestions?
- Cool Papa Bell - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 1:58 pm:
This is where spending should be tilted to a state like Illinois or the Chicagoland area. The entire region (Midwest) would be better off with greater spending to relieve bottlenecks in the state. When all of Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin and Iowa’s trucks and trains roll in and out of Chicago those roadways and railways are what needs to be improved.
Other suggestions - massive railway projects in Chicago to speed the movement of trains through the area. Continued inland port and waterway support at Cario and East Peoria. No more manned toll booths in Chicago. Three lanes of I-80 around the Quad Cities. Light rail from Rockford to O’Hare. And a toll express lane on I-55 past I-355. That’s a starting point.
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 1:58 pm:
==Other suggestions?==
Finish I-180 from Hennepin to Peoria until it meets IL Route 6 freeway at Mossville, as should have been done 50 years ago.
Finish IL-336 from Macomb to Peoria, or a hybrid of 336 and US-24 between those two cities.
Finish 4-laning US-67 between Alton and at least Monmouth.
Among others.
- Unconventionalwisdom - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 2:23 pm:
Any plan should have to use designated taxes for such purposes and not just add it to the national debt.
Pay as you go.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 14, 21 @ 2:34 pm:
===Pay as you go===
These are multi-year investments. No need for that. I see nobody demanding paygo for military spending.