Mark Kirk is Worried About the State Budget

By Kevin Robinson in News on Jun 25, 2008 4:58PM

If Illinois's legislators can't reach an agreement over a capital spending bill by October, "Gov. Schwarzenegger in California, Gov. Rendell in Pennsylvania, Gov. Crist in Florida, Gov. Paterson in New York, all are ready to" try and take the $9 billion in federal matching funds set aside for Illinois, said 10th District Congressman Mark Kirk. That money has been waiting in the federal budget since 2005. To get it, leaders in Springfield must first figure out how to fund roads, schools and other projects.

Blagojevich says it's doable. "If [House Speaker Mike Madigan] comes to the table, of course it can be done," Blagojevich spokeswoman Katie Ridgway told the Sun-Times. But Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said, "they still have a bill that is opposed by the city of Chicago. . . . They still have a lack of safeguards for the projects so people know how the money will be properly spent."

But with legislative leaders and the governor unable to agree on a general spending plan for the state's new budget year, which starts in less than a week, it seems unlikely they will be able to agree on a capital spending plan anytime soon. Nevertheless, Madigan's office seemed confident that Illinois's congressional delegation could get an extension on that $9 billion if negotiations over the capital budget drag into October.

Photo by Yan Pritzker