DuPage leaders make push for federal funds

President Obama's economic stimulus package hasn't even been fully formulated yet, but that hasn't stopped several local governments from making pleas for cash.

DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to meet with congressional leaders to push nearly $450 million worth of capital projects, most of which are ready to go immediately. Naperville and Aurora dispatched their lists as well.

"I went out there on a fact-finding trip to determine what the rules and regulations were regarding the stimulus package," Schillerstrom said. "I wanted to be out there as early as possible to get on the list ... and convey to them that we did have projects ready to go that we could get people to work on right away."

Schillerstrom also said he made it clear to leaders that any money for these projects should go directly to the local governments and not through the state.

"If they really wanted to get people back to work quick they should send the money to local governments to cut out the bureaucracy at the state level," he said.

Aurora's requests tallied up to just $55 million, which officials there said would add 1,300 jobs. Meanwhile, Naperville's project list includes more than $201 million in requests, though that includes $115 million for the massive Route 59 widening proposal.

City Engineer Bill Novack said the requests represent projects they are ready to do, but don't have the money for.

"We looked at our capital improvement plan, and said we've got a book full of them," he said.

These are projects where all planning, engineering and administrative minutiae is complete, Novack said.

For the county, many of the projects on the list are included in Schillerstrom's own DuPage 2013 capital improvement proposal that would rely on borrowing through bond sales. The board balked at the proposal when it was introduced late last year because of the crumbling economy and the faltering bond market. Schillerstrom said the requests to fund the projects at the federal level is intended to jump start the DuPage 2013 plan rather than supplant it.

"It might substitute some of the projects to make it more successful, and then we can add new projects," he said.