A weekly update on issues from Illinois State Senator Gary Forby

Coal mining has been extremely important in Southern Illinois for decades and it continues to remain an essential part of our economic infrastructure. During these trying times, creating coal mining jobs and filling our state’s budget shortfall continue to remain especially important to me. Unemployment rates have reached nearly 11 percent statewide. Job growth and development are more important than ever. As a legislator, I understand Illinoisans are struggling with all of these factors. I remain committed to coming up with solutions that help the state climb out of this funding hole.

Each year, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is given a certain amount of money in their budget to spend on projects throughout the state. I recently received phone calls from a number of my constituents who were concerned that the department was giving jobs to workers in upstate Illinois rather than down here in Southern Illinois. After looking further into this issue, I was assured by the IDNR director that the jobs they promised to create in our region will remain here. These new jobs will not be given to other areas of Illinois. This is a concern for many in our district because there is a lot of competition to get funding across the state. Many legislators are looking for ways to get funding for their own districts just as I am. I will continue to come up with ways to help alleviate our financial burden by putting people to work and putting money back into our local economy. This is a step in the right direction for job creation in Southern Illinois and will prove to be an important boost to our economy.

The jobs created by this project will be used to reclaim coal mining areas in Southern Illinois. Coal mine reclamation is important for the local economy. It is a valuable process that prepares the land previously used as a coal mining location for further productive use. These projects improve the value of the land. The citizens of my district can use the newly reclaimed land for farming, housing, wildlife preservation, or other beneficial purposes. The funds for these projects will be used to create much-needed jobs in Southern Illinois at the start of the year in 2010. A number of these new jobs are going to be developed and based here in the 59^th senate district. This will put a much-needed influx of money back into our area and help to further stimulate job growth and business development.

Job creation is important to getting back on track here in Illinois. We must start putting people back to work. I will continue to work together with my colleagues in the Senate to find solutions that promote this endeavor. We will come up with responsible answers that promote workers’ concerns and interests. Southern Illinoisans are hard-working people and we will continue to fight through these difficult times by coming up with smart, efficient solutions to address our state’s economic concerns.