SPRINGFIELD, IL- State Sen. Gary Forby (D-Benton) believes the state’s new capital construction plan will make desperately needed repairs and put hundreds of thousands to work.

“I’ve been saying Illinois government needs to do two things since I took office,” Forby said. “We need a capital construction plan, and we need to pay our bills on time. Now that the capital plan has been signed into law, we’re halfway there.”

The governor signed the capital bill in a formal ceremony in Chicago, more than a month after it passed the General Assembly. The plan allocates more than $30 billion to repair and construct roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and other vital facilities. Some of the largest projects in Southern Illinois include:

The plan also includes smaller sums to improve schools, sewer lines, hospitals and other state and local facilities throughout the region. The money, which will be distributed over the course of five years, comes from a combination of bonding and tax and fee increases.

“Unemployment rates are high and in some places, still rising,” Forby said. “This program will create hundreds of thousands of jobs that people in Southern Illinois need badly. More jobs are good for the local economy.”

Forby also noted that he wants to see responsible action on the budget soon.

“With a capital bill, we’re halfway there,” Forby continued. “Now we need to finish the budget. The capital plan took a while, but worked out well in the end. I hope we’ll be able to say the same thing about the budget soon.”