Pulled 'pork' is no shock
The cash would have been great, but they weren't holding their breath for it.
That seems to be the consensus of local government, community college and hospital officials who learned this week Gov. Rod Blagojevich cut funding for their projects from the proposed state budget.
"We were disappointed, but to be quite honest, not surprised," said Carole Robertson, Elgin Community College's finance director.
The college wanted $250,000, half of which was earmarked to buy equipment for the college's new radiology program, scheduled to launch next year. Officials will have to look elsewhere in the college's budget to find the funding, Robertson said.
"Other programs may have to wait for updates in equipment," she said.
The remaining funds were supposed to be split between campus security upgrades, including surveillance cameras, and library materials. Those projects will have to wait, Robertson said.
Dismissing them as pork barrel spending, Blagojevich cut $141 million worth of specific projects, part of nearly $463 million in reductions made to accommodate bigger health care programs.
Legislators are expected to return to Springfield in the coming weeks to try to restore the funding. But unless the House and Senate vote to do so, the governor's version of the nearly $59 billion state spending plan is final.
The city of Batavia also was in line for $250,000. The funds were intended for downtown redevelopment, including the now-defunct Route 25 realignment project, which was scrapped after engineers said it wouldn't ease traffic. But city Administrator Bill McGrath said Blagojevich's cut won't hurt Batavia's effort.
"We weren't counting on the money," McGrath said.
State Sen. Chris Lauzen, an Aurora Republican, pushed for $200,000 for capital improvements -- including an emergency room expansion -- at Geneva's Delnor-Community Hospital. That, too, was cut.
Asked if not getting state funding would hamper the project, hospital spokesman Brian Griffin wouldn't say.
"At this point it's premature to discuss further details," he said, adding that hospital officials appreciated Lauzen's effort.
The Southern Kane County Training Association lost out on $100,000 meant for classroom space. Based in North Aurora, the nonprofit association trains 1,500 firefighters every year on hazardous materials response techniques, management and other issues, said North Aurora Fire Chief Steve Miller.
DuPage County's Wayne Township Road District wanted $400,000 to replace the two-lane St. Charles Road bridge over the west branch of the DuPage River. Both State Rep. Randy Ramey, a Carol Stream Republican, and State Sen. John Millner, a St. Charles Republican, put in $200,000 requests; the governor cut Millner's and approved Ramey's.
"We figured if we had it in twice, there was a good chance (of approval)," said road commissioner Ken Spitz.
Other Kane County projects cut by Blagojevich:
• $270,000 for a technology expansion and General Education Development and English classes at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove.
• $250,000 for capital investments in building and equipment at Aurora's Provena Mercy Hospital.
• $200,000 toward the Aurora Police Department's new police station.
• $75,000 to Aurora Township for programs and operations.
• $35,000 for a new squad car for the Kane County sheriff's office.
• $25,000 for operations at Mutual Ground, an Aurora women's shelter.
• $20,000 for programs at Elgin's Centro de Informacion, a nonprofit Hispanic social service agency.
• $20,000 for Aurora University to bus students to schools in the East and West Aurora school districts to teach and mentor children in after-school programs.