Illinois must have capital funding bill
Nobody in their right mind would turn down $9 billion dollars. Yet Illinois is going to do just that if our state legislature doesn't pass a capital bill.
Illinois is entitled to $9 billion from the federal government. In fact, we have already paid for it through our gas taxes. If you haven't noticed, we are in a recession. I'd say it is time to collect.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich has proposed a $25 billion infrastructure improvement plan called Illinois Works. If it is successful, we would achieve the necessary investment in our schools and transportation systems. Illinois Works will support an estimated 700,000 jobs.
The time to act is now. There is only one proposal to fund this right now. That is the governor's plan. If lawmakers have problems with it, they should fix it. If it needs work, offer real alternatives.
It has been nine years since we've had a capital bill. Many of our roads are no longer safe and are crumbling. Countless people are out of work and some have lost their homes. Grants local governments could once count on are drying up.
Many Illinois students and their teachers find themselves crammed into overcrowded mobile units or places in serious need of repair.
We've had enough of the poison pills and infighting. No one cares who is wrong or right. All we care is that the job gets done.
Mark Guethle
North Aurora