Tuesday, August 17, 2010
 
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Policy group supports cutting state fair, to Quinn's chagrin

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[August 17, 2010]  SPRINGFIELD -- A free-market think tank is asserting that the state is spending too much on state and county fairs, drawing the ire of Gov. Pat Quinn.

The Illinois Policy Institute released a report last month outlining the financial cost of the Illinois and DuQuoin state fairs.

The institute's report uses statistics gathered by the state auditor general to show that between 2001 and 2009, the two state fairs lost a total of almost $42 million.

"When the state has billions in unpaid bills to core services like hospitals, mental health facilities and veterans' homes, events like the state fair should not be adding to the budget deficit," the report said. "Instead, state fairs should budget the same way families and businesses across the state do every day -- by spending no more than they bring in."

The state has a budget deficit of $13 billion and a collection of unpaid bills of $6 billion.

Last week while talking to reporters, Quinn chastised the institute for its report.

"There are 'pinheads' who think that we should cut out the state fair. I think they are all, all wet. I think the people of Illinois want a state fair to celebrate our agriculture, for people all over our state to learn about agriculture. So I'm not, in any way, going to take out the county fairs or the state fairs from the people of Illinois," he said.

Kristina Rasmussen, vice president of the Illinois Policy Institute, said state government should be focused on fixing budget matters.

"Name-calling will not solve the state's budget crisis, and certainly it's interesting to call a group a name when they're asking that the state law be followed, mainly that the state fair be funded through its own revenues," she said.

The report referred to a 1993 state law that created the State Fair Fund, meant to provide the sole revenue needed to run state fairs.

When asked about how much money the state loses through state fairs, Quinn said the emphasis on investment in people involved with agriculture was more important.

"I'm all about jobs, and good jobs come from agriculture. So the notion of kicking the state fair in the shins is really wrong," he said.

Rasmussen acknowledged that $42 million lost over state fairs is not by itself a tremendous drain on state finances.

"This is about taking a timeout, re-evaluating how the state is doing business and fixing the problems that are out there. These are the kind of small things that add up and create the big, billion-dollar budget deficits we're hearing so much about," she said.

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As an alternative, the institute's report cited how the state fair in Texas uses solely private funding and manages to turn a profit.

Members of the Illinois Future Farmers of America are concerned that potential cutbacks could prevent kids from learning more about crops and livestock.

Jake Ekstrand is vice president for the Illinois FFA and a native of Yates City in west-central Illinois. He said a short time spent talking to youngsters can have a big impact on how they see food and farming.

"A young child can grow up, they can be like, 'Oh, I went to the state fair and I experienced those things with visiting the animals, talking to people and learning a little bit more about agriculture here,'" he said.

The Illinois State Fair is scheduled to conclude on Sunday. The DuQuoin State Fair begins Aug. 27 and runs through Sept. 6.

[Illinois Statehouse News; By KEVIN LEE]

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