Illinois Approves $31 Billion Construction Plan

Posted by: Nate Berg

15 July 2009 - 11:00am

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed into law a bill that will bring about $31 billion worth of road, transit and school construction projects.

The money for this raft of projects will come from new revenues created by legalizing video poker, boosting fees for motorists, and raising taxes on some goods.

"The rookie Democratic governor said he is "betting on the future of Illinois" by launching the state's first major public-works package in a decade, predicting it would create or keep in place more than 400,000 jobs over six years. The legislation also provides more than $3 billion for hundreds of local pork-barrel projects doled out by Quinn and state lawmakers."

Full Story: Gov. Pat Quinn signs $31 billion statewide public-works package

Source: Chicago Tribune, July 14, 2009