Get behind state capital plan, funding

Hard working men and women throughout Illinois are struggling because of the economy. I work in the construction industry and I have seen firsthand just how badly the industry has been affected. Many of my friends and co-workers have lost their jobs and have had a tough time finding new ones, being that the unemployment rate continues to soar.

With this in mind, we must support the Illinois capital plan and all of its funding sources. While the Illinois Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments this week, we need this investment regardless of how the court rules. The capital plan contains the largest infrastructure investment in Illinois in the past 10 years, and workers throughout the state desperately need these projects.

The bill will create more than 400,000 jobs. For this reason alone, it is vitally important that the bill is fully funded and implemented. Each funding source is crucial to the plan’s overall success. The single largest funding source, legalized video gambling, will fund more than a third of program alone, and this funding is important for job creation throughout the state.

I support the Illinois capital plan and all of its funding sources, and I urge Illinoisans across the state to do the same.

Scott Roscoe

President, Fox Valley Building Trades

Aurora