The day has finally come for Illinois’ capital construction plan. As of this writing, Governor Quinn has committed to signing the capital bill. I have been writing about this legislation on and off all year because I believe it is so important.

I always say that the state needs to do two things for Southern Illinois: create jobs and pay its bills on time. The capital plan will create hundreds of thousands of jobs all across the state. It will put the unemployed and underemployed to work repairing crumbling roads, schools, bridges, hospitals, and other state facilities. Getting people working is one of the best things we can do to help fix the economy. You can think of this capital plan as Illinois’ own little stimulus package. When more people are working, more people can spend money. When people spend more money at local businesses, local businesses can hire more employees. It’s a great positive economic cycle.

"The capital plan is about more than just creating jobs though—it’s about fixing things that are broken and making desperately needed improvements to the state’s infrastructure."

The capital plan is about more than just creating jobs though—it’s about fixing things that are broken and making desperately needed improvements to the state’s infrastructure. We haven’t had a comprehensive plan for repairing and modernizing Illinois’ roads and public facilities for the better part of a decade. The capital bill provides a $30 billion five-year plan, paid for by a combination of bonding and small tax and fee increases. It will help bring Illinois into the 21st Century.

Hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent in Southern Illinois. One of the biggest projects in the area is the expansion of Illinois Route 13 to six lanes betweens Marion and Carbondale. The project, which costs more than $100 million, will ease traffic on Route 13 and make life easier for citizens of Marion, Carbondale and surrounding communities like Herrin and Carterville. Another big project is the construction of an emergency access wing at the Cairo Megaclinic. Residents of Cairo and surrounding areas have been without emergency room service for years, which is simply unacceptable. This $3 million project will change all that. The capital bill also includes more than $60 million in improvements to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, $3 million for upgrades to the Vienna Correctional Facility, more than $160 million for road improvements spread across a 13 county area, and countless smaller grants for local communities.

Modernizing Illinois’ infrastructure can make a big difference for the economy. In addition to the immediate benefits of putting people to work, companies take a community’s infrastructure into account when they are choosing locations for stores and factories. The average citizen probably doesn’t think about them often, but water and sewer lines are big concerns for a lot of businesses. Modern schools mean a better educated work force. Better roads lower the cost of transportation. The list can go on and on.

Although the capital construction plan goes a long way towards creating good jobs, I will continue to look for other ways I can help build the economy of Southern Illinois. I also am not completely satisfied about the state’s time frame for paying bills. I will continue to push for responsible budget plans that ensure prompt payment. I’m very glad the capital bill has been signed.[/dropcap]