Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Simple answers to simple questions

Posted in:

Illinois

Republican lawmakers are not confident that legislation to create a private organization to raise repair funds for the Illinois State Fairgrounds will pass this session.

Sen. Bill Brady, who is sponsoring a bill in the Senate that would establish the foundation, said he lacks support from Democrats.

“Predominantly, I understand it has to do with some unions who are opposed to waiving some of the procurement requirements,” the Bloomington Republican said. “Because it is private money, we don’t think it should be subject to state procurement, and we know we’ll have a better chance of raising more money if it’s not subject to that.”

Brady’s legislation was voted out of committee in April and received a deadline extension to be called for a final vote. The spring session is scheduled to end May 31.

“I’ve had some discussions with the laborers’ unions who have voiced some objections to this legislation, but I’m not quite sure exactly why, because this is very similar to legislation we used to enact the Conservation Foundation and others,” said Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, who is sponsoring a similar House bill that is yet to be assigned to committee.

“I’m not quite sure exactly why.” Because Rauner wants it, that’s why.

The last Ag Director under Pat Quinn would sometimes privately complain about all the hoops he had to jump through to get things done on the fairgrounds. This is a decent idea in concept, but, like everything else, it’s on the funeral pyre because one side may want too much and the other side doesn’t want to give an inch. Normally, they’d find a way to work it out, but these ain’t normal times.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 24, 16 @ 10:26 am

Comments

“Normally, they’d find a way to work it out, but these ain’t normal times.”

We are fighting for the very soul of the state, Rich!! THE VERY SOUL OF THE STATE!!1!!

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Tuesday, May 24, 16 @ 10:33 am
Rich simply hits it out of the park once again.

What amuses me is the Rauner contention that of all the state laws mandating an activity, the holding of the fairs is sacrosanct. Certainly, it doesn’t have anything to do politics.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, May 24, 16 @ 10:33 am
This is one area where I’m all for privatization. Let a management company come in and operate the fair and aggressively target corporate sponsors to cover the costs.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, May 24, 16 @ 10:45 am
In fact most state fair foundations are not created by state law AND there is a 501(3)(c) fair foundation on the books already

Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, May 24, 16 @ 11:04 am
=NO=. The =epic struggle= continues. More =collateral damage= of their =war=.

If these two parties can’t compromise on fixing up the state fair, what can they compromise on?

Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, May 24, 16 @ 11:31 am
I’ll tell ya what they can compromise on, who’s going to be Governor in 2019? That’s what everyone is waiting for.

Comment by Union Man Tuesday, May 24, 16 @ 11:46 am
Why would the unions complain? The rules in the procurement regulations might include prevailing wage requirements. Rauner wants to eliminate prevailing wage and give the work to his buddies over at AB&C.

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, May 24, 16 @ 11:51 am
fair last year had none of the little side attractions we attend to see, so instead of 4-5 days we spent a few hrs and didnt go back.

they need to add more not less. my only concern w/ a prvt foundations is quality control. I support the concept, but there needs to be a unwind provision or no fault way to back out. no more lottery mess. something like we can end the arrangement with 6 months notice.

that said there is a huge economic opportunity to make bettter use of the space, if the space was modernized

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, May 24, 16 @ 12:53 pm