Lawmakers tackle local salt supplies, crossing guards, sex offenders

SPRINGFIELD - Several suburban communities would be reimbursed for exorbitant road salt prices they ended up paying this past winter if legislation the Illinois Senate approved during a flurry of activity Wednesday becomes law.

State Sen. Pamela Althoff, a McHenry Republican, proposed legislation that would cover the extra costs of the salt the communities incurred because of a contracting error blamed on the state.

Last year, communities across the region and state put in bids to buy road salt from the state's central purchasing agency. But no one offered supplies for portions of the state - including McHenry and Lake counties. Yet the purchasing agency didn't initially tell those communities until it was too late and they were left scrambling, ultimately paying as much as $130 or more a ton for road salt they thought they'd get for around $50 via a state contract.

Now many say they won't be able to pay for any road repairs this summer, leaving local contractors and employees with no work.

Althoff's plan, which advances to the House, would reimburse communities up to $70 per ton with the maximum set at $12.9 million. She says these grants will be paid for with federal stimulus dollars and included as part of the state budget.

In other action, the Illinois Senate passed legislation that would let schools use part of the fines paid by school zone speeders to pay for crossing guards.

"We have students that live across the street from the school and the bus picks them up," said state Sen. Michael Bond, a Grayslake Democrat and sponsor of the proposal. "The school districts don't care because they get the transportation reimbursement. It is healthier for them to walk to school and this will make sure it is safe."

The legislation will go to the House for consideration.

Also on Wednesday, state senators unanimously approved outlawing sex offenders from driving ice cream trucks.