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How the infrastructure money will be spent

Tuesday, Jun 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Broad categories of how the new infrastructure money will be spent over the next six years, according to the Senate Democrats…

$33.2 billion for transportation projects

$3.5 billion for education projects
$4.3 billion for state facility projects
$1.9 billion for economic development/community development
$1.2 billion for environmental and conservation projects
$465 million for Healthcare and Human Services
$420 million for broadband expansion

* I asked the Illinois Environmental Council for a breakdown of their capital projects. Here’s a quick summary…

Transportation

Approximately 22.5% share for mass transit.
20% of the revenue from the gas tax increase will go to transit annually.
$50 million annually for bike and pedestrian infrastructure.

Sustainable Agriculture

There is a $37 million reappropriation for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and $20 million of new funding in the capital plan.

Open Space

$10 million for the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund
$25 million of new appropriation for land acquisition for Open Lands Trust
$23 million for Open Space Land Acquisition Developmen.
$50 million for parks

Clean Energy

$70 million for renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. This is sufficient funding for 5% of state building energy usage.
$70 million for electric vehicle infrastructure in low income communities.

Clean Water

$200 million for the Water Revolving Fund
$10 million for flood mitigation
$2.5 million for Brandon Road planning
$20 million for dam removal
$25 million for green infrastructure grants
$23 million for U.S. Army Corp of Engineers on ecosystem restoration projects

The full list of the IEC’s budget and capital plan wins is here.

* From the Active Transportation Alliance…

The bill includes $50 million annually for walking and bicycling projects. Funds will be administered statewide through a competitive grant process using the existing Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP), which is currently entirely federally funded.

The additional funds from the state will double the size of the program and could fund 125 new projects every year. […]

Eligible projects include pedestrian refuge islands, new trails and upgraded crossings, protected bike lanes, and other safety infrastructure. The bill includes reforms to the program that make it easier for low-income communities to apply and secure funding.

The capital bill also includes sustainable funding for public transit for the first time ever. Transit receives $4.7 billion over six years and $281 million annually in capital funds after that. Public transit receives 23 percent of the transportation funding in the bill.

* StreetsBlog Chicago…

Midwest High Speed Rail Association

The group lauded the inclusion of the following items in the bill:

New service to Rockford
New service to Moline
Track improvements for Chicago – Champaign – Carbondale
Track improvements in Springfield
Expanded Metra service into Kendall County
Funding for the CREATE program to relieve freight rail congestion

[…]

Pace

“This will be the largest one-time capital infusion in Pace’s history and allows us to maintain the robust system we currently operate and lay the foundation for future growth,” said executive director Rocky Donahue in a statement. “Projects such as the I-55 Express Bus Garage; ADA Communications Technology Upgrade; River Division Expansion; and a new northwest region garage in Wheeling will now become reality thanks to our legislators. We’re excited to get to work.”

…Adding… More from the BND…

$105.3 million for a health sciences building and other improvements at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
$96 million for an expansion of MetroLink from Scott Air Force Base to MidAmerica Airport
$37.5 million for main complex renovation and repairs at Lewis and Clark Community College
$24.4 million for the U.S. 67 Delhi Bypass in Jersey County
$24 million for miscellaneous capital improvements at SIUE
$2 million for East St. Louis for demolition of derelict buildings and abandoned properties

* Other stuff…

* U Of I President ‘Delighted’ By New State Budget: The capital projects funding includes $98 million for a computer, design and research center at the Chicago campus; $100 million for a mathematics, statistics and data science collaborative at the Urbana-Champaign campus, and $35 million for a new library at the University of Illinois at Springfield, according to Killeen. Another $500 million was re-appropriated for construction and planning of the Discovery Partners Institute, and 15 research hubs at each university and satellite campus. Killeen said capital projects funding will also be used to pay for “very needed renovations that have sort of languished.”

* Will County big winner after busy end to session: The new state capital bill includes $848 million for Interstate 80, although it was unclear whether the funding included replacement of the Des Plaines River bridges. The capital bill also includes $19.8 million for Joliet Junior College and $55 million to for a new Illinois State Police facility, said state Sen. Pat McGuire, D-Joliet. … McGuire said the state police project includes replacement of both an aging crime lab on Woodruff Road in Joliet and the District 5 headquarters on Route 53. The facilities would be consolidated.

* Sen. Fowler Says His District Did Well in Legislative Session: Senator Dale Fowler of Harrisburg says the budget includes lump sum money for ports across the state, including his proposal for a facility at Cairo. “I believe it’s going to be in July, we’re going to start our meetings on how we’re going to move forward with continued design and engineering of the process and get shovels down in Cairo.” As far as the capital bill goes, Fowler says his district will receive as much, if not more, than any other in the state. “My district alone, the 59th district, is scheduled to receive over $270 million in capital spending funding for roads and bridges that so desperately need repair and well over 100 projects that are designed for my district.”

* Moline-to-Chicago train closer to becoming a reality as Illinois gas tax doubles: Illinois’ $45 billion infrastructure plan is just waiting for a signature from governor JB Pritzker. We first told you about it last month. The plan earmarked $225 million to finish the rail line.

* $275 million set aside for Rockford passenger rail in state capital spending plan: “By getting that $275 million in this capital plan I think it’s a new lease of life on this project,” says State Senator Steve Stadelman.

* Illinois Lawmakers Approve Sports Betting; Chicago And Southern Illinois Get A Casino: State Rep. Terri Bryant (R- Murphysboro), said prisons and universities have been looking for ways to fund their crumbling infrastructure. “At SIU Carbondale, we have four buildings that have to have new roofs, because they’ve had to move computers out of an entire room, simply to be able to keep those computers from having water drip on them from the ceiling.” Bryant voted in favor of the plan.

* New UIS building funded in capital bill re-imagines library: The center will replace Brookens Library and will house the Center for Online Learning Research and Service (COLRS), the Center for Academic Success (CAS) and Information Technology Services.

* Macoupin courthouse gets $1M boost: The courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been named one of Illinois’ great places by the American Institute of Architects. Years of delayed maintenance on the building, however, have left it in need of repairs.

* Manar wants to make sure Ward 3 gets targeted help: As part of the $45 billion construction program passed by the Illinois General Assembly and awaiting the governor’s signature, there is a $500,000 grant designated for “costs associated with infrastructure improvements within Ward 3” in the city of Springfield. Also included is up to $400,000 for “costs associated with roadway improvements of Adloff Lane,” which is also in Ward 3. “I am very excited for Ward 3, Springfield and the state of Illinois,” said Ward 3 Ald. Doris Turner. “This was an epic legislative session.” … Up to $122 million for rail improvements for Springfield is also in the legislation.

* Peoria Mayor Reacts to Capital Bill: Among the projects approved for the Peoria area are: up to $1 million to Peoria Public Schools to improve Garfield school; $250,000 to the Tri-County Urban league for building repairs; $250,000 to tuckpoint and repair windows on the Peoria Labor Temple

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ILGOP chairman throws Republicans under the bus

Tuesday, Jun 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Proft paper…

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider has a message for any voters who are unhappy with the way the latest legislative session went in Springfield.

“If you don’t like the outcome of this session, remember that the Democrats hold all the cards — at the moment,” Schneider said in a press release. “If you don’t like the outcome of this session, the only solution is to work. Work for local, legislative or statewide candidates who take on the mantle of reform.”

The flurry of bills signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker after being passed by his Democratic majority during the final hours of the session were particularly disheartening for GOP leaders who, Schneider said, could do little to stop them.

“Governor Pritzker and Speaker [Mike] Madigan set the parameters,” Schneider said in the release. “They determined what policies to enact and what reforms were ignored. They didn’t need a single Republican vote.”

Maybe they didn’t “need” a single Republican vote, but they sure got a lot of them. And the Republicans could do little to stop the Democrats? In reality, the Republicans extracted more pro-business reforms out of the Democrats than Bruce Rauner did in four years as governor.

From House GOP Leader Jim Durkin…

“The end of this legislative was another historic moment for the House Republicans. Not only did we pass a bipartisan, balanced budget without any tax increases, but we also achieved significant business reforms for our communities that will boost the economy across our state. As I’ve said before, we can get great things done for Illinois families as long as we respect the principles and priorities of each caucus. In doing so, we have passed historic education reform, two bipartisan, balanced budgets and now important reforms that will grow jobs. I am proud to have worked with the legislative leaders and the Governor to finally do what’s right for Illinois families and businesses.”

Reforms include:

· Creation of the Blue Collar Jobs Act – which will attract large scale construction projects.
· Creation of a Data Center Tax Incentive – which will enhance the state’s ability to locate data centers in Illinois by providing tax incentives.
· Reinstatement of the Manufacturer’s Purchase Credit – to encourage further investments in manufacturing in Illinois.
· Elimination of the antiquated Illinois Franchise Tax.
· Elimination of cap on the Retailer’s Discount.
· Tabling of Senate Bill 1407 – a bill that aimed to impose wage and regulatory requirements on refineries, ethanol plants, and chemical facilities.

* From that Square peg in the Center of a round hole outfit…

The first year of a five-year phase-out of the franchise tax will reduce taxes for 300,000 businesses, supporters said. The Blue Collar Jobs Act will give tax credits for construction projects.

* The House Republicans introduced the Blue Collar Jobs Act last year. From the synopsis…

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Blue Collar Jobs Act. Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. Creates a High Impact Business construction jobs credit and an Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit against the taxpayer’s Illinois income taxes based on the incremental income tax attributable to laborers or workers employed at certain construction sites located in Enterprise Zones. Amends the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act. Creates a New Construction EDGE Credit based on the incremental income tax attributable to laborers or workers employed at construction sites associated with EDGE projects. Amends the River Edge Redevelopment Zone Act. Creates a River Edge construction jobs credit based on the incremental income tax attributable to laborers or workers employed at certain construction sites in a River Edge Redevelopment Zone. Requires contractors and subcontractors associated with projects that receive credits under the amendatory Act to file certified payroll information with the Department of Labor and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Some of that stuff was phased in, but they got pretty much all they asked for.

…Adding… As hardcore Raunerite “Lucky Pierre” and other commenters have mentioned, the legislative Republicans also convinced the governor to back off his demand that the private school scholarship program be phased out. That was a huge win on its own, particularly considering how much the teachers’ unions wanted that program eliminated.