Illinois capital plan budget contains plenty of pork according to some
Posted: 06.02.2009 at 10:50 AM

Illinois lawmakers add pet projects to capital spending budget

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - On their way out of Springfield, Illinois legislators grabbed about $500 million for pet projects in their districts.

The money came from the $28.3 billion public works plan approved in the closing weeks of the General Assembly.

Gov. Pat Quinn has said he won't sign the capital construction bill until a balanced budget is passed.

The money allowed lawmakers to approve $3.1 billion in projects, from which they took $500 million.

Among the projects favored by legislators was $40 million for the constuction of a Chicago State University campus on the city's West Side.

Democratic Sen. Rickey Hendon said the campus is needed in an area with only a junior college.

House Minority Leader Tom Cross was able to obtain $150,000 so that a baseball complex in Shorewood will get lights for night games.