State's High Court Upholds Quinn's Construction Bill

By aaroncynic in News on Jul 11, 2011 6:20PM

The Illinois Supreme Court upheld Governor Quinn’s $31 billion statewide public works program, which also includes provisions for legalized video gambling, in a 7-0 decision today. Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz, whose also chairman of Wirtz Beverage Group, challenged the Governor’s program in 2009 on the grounds that it was unconstitutional.

An appellate court agreed with Wirtz's argument, saying it violated the “single subject rule,” which prohibits combining unrelated matters in the same bill. The bill increases liquor taxes, vehicle registration fees and other taxes as a moneymaker for the program. Attorney General Lisa Madigan took the matter to the Illinois Supreme Court, arguing the law fell under “capital projects,” rather than “revenue,” which the appellate court had ruled.

Quinn’s program, “Illinois Jobs Now!” promised to create or hold nearly 500,000 jobs across the state. Approximately $4billion of the $31 billion has already been spent. The Tribune reports State Senate President John Cullerton as saying, “This ruling serves as a reminder of just how important the 2009 jobs program was and what the General Assembly can accomplish when politics is set aside and people participate.”