Illinois Valley Times

The Illinois General Assembly is looking to pass a bill that earmarks $166.5 million for various projects in lawmakers' home districts across the state.

The bill, SB 2216 or the FY 18 Member Initiatives, contains appropriations for over 1,800 different projects across the state, with the money coming from special state funds not related to the general operating budget. It was introduced by Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington).

State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) called the appropriations "earmarks" and "wasteful."

"I was shocked to see Sen. Bill Brady's recently filed SB 2216, which is described as 'FY 18 Member Initiatives,'" McSweeney said. "Special earmarks lead to wasteful spending and, potentially, corruption. I strongly oppose special insider earmarks."

Projects in the Illinois Valley area include $300,000 to the city of Ottawa for infrastructure improvements; $300,000 to the city of Peru for infrastructure improvements; $200,000 to the city of Mendota for infrastructure improvements; $200,000 to the village of Naplate for infrastructure improvements; $200,000 to city of Spring Valley for infrastructure improvements; and $100,000 to the village of Granville for all costs associated with general infrastructure.

Some of the biggest of these appropriations include approximately $6.4 million to the Commuter Rail Division of the Regional Transportation Authority for a Metra station at Peterson Avenue and Ravenswood Avenue in Chicago; $3.75 million to Kankakee Community College for infrastructure improvements; and $3 million to the Chicago Park District for the construction of a sports recreation facility in Morgan Park.

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What projects in Illinois Valley are being funded by SB 2216?

The table below shows the projects in the area that are being funded by this appropriations bill.

Department	Recipient	Recipient City	Recipient County	Total $	Copy
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	City of Ottawa	Ottawa	LaSalle	$300,000	The sum of $300,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the City of Ottawa for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	City of Peru	Peru	LaSalle	$300,000	The sum of $300,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the City of Peru for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	City of Mendota	Mendota	LaSalle	$200,000	The sum of $200,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the City of Mendota for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Naplate	Naplate	LaSalle	$200,000	The sum of $200,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Naplate for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	City of Spring Valley	Spring Valley	Bureau	$200,000	The sum of $200,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the City of Spring Valley for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Granville	Granville	Putnam	$100,000	The sum of $100,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Granville for all costs associated with general infrastructure.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Cherry	Cherry	Bureau	$75,000	The sum of $75,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Cherry for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Kangley	Kangley	LaSalle	$70,965	The sum of $70,965, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Kangley for all costs associated with construction of new storm water drainage.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Cedar Point	Cedar Point	LaSalle	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to Village of Cedar Point for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Manlius	Manlius	Bureau	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Manlius for all costs associated with capital improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of North Utica	North Utica	LaSalle	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of North Utica for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	City of Princeton	Princeton	Bureau	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the City of Princeton for all costs associated with capital improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Sheffield	Sheffield	Bureau	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Sheffield for all costs associated with capital improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Wyanet	Wyanet	Bureau	$50,000	The sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Wyanet for all costs associated with capital improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Oglesby	Oglesby	LaSalle	$49,101	The sum of $49,101, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Oglesby for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	City of LaSalle	LaSalle	LaSalle	$38,380	The sum of $38,380, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the City of LaSalle for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Ohio	Ohio	Bureau	$37,500	The sum of $37,500, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Ohio for all costs associated with capital improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Leonore	Leonore	LaSalle	$30,000	The sum of $30,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Leonore for all costs associated with infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Lostant	Lostant	LaSalle	$30,000	The sum of $30,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Lostant for all costs associated with infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Rutland	Rutland	LaSalle	$30,000	The sum of $30,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Rutland for all costs associated with infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Buda Fire District	Buda	Bureau	$25,000	The sum of $25,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Buda Fire District for all costs associated with capital improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Dayton	Dayton	LaSalle	$25,000	The sum of $25,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Dayton for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Hollowayville	Hollowayville	Bureau	$25,000	The sum of $25,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Hollowayville for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Lostant	Lostant	LaSalle	$25,000	The sum of $25,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Lostant for all costs associated with infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Mark	Mark	Putnam	$25,000	The sum of $25,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Mark for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Standard	Standard	Putnam	$25,000	The sum of $25,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Standard for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Troy Grove	Troy Grove	LaSalle	$25,000	The sum of $25,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Troy Grove for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Malden	Malden	Bureau	$25,000	The sum of $25,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Malden for infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Stanford	Stanford	Putnam	$22,500	The sum of $22,500, or so much thereof as maybe necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund  to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Stanford for all costs associated with infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Sheridan	Sheridan	LaSalle	$5,083	The sum of $5,083, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Sheridan for all costs associated with sewer and stormwater improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Stanford	Stanford	Putnam	$2,000	The sum of $2,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Stanford for all costs associated with infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Dana	Dana	LaSalle	$68	The sum of $68, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Dana for all costs associated with infrastructure improvements.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity	Village of Seatonville	Seatonville	Bureau	$1	The sum of $1, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of Seatonville for all costs associated with a water plant upgrade.