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"We have a responsibility to the children of Illinois to provide the
best education we can offer, and that includes everything from books
to bricks and mortar," Blagojevich. "This vital school construction
plan will allow many school districts to construct new buildings or
make much-needed improvements that will enhance learning and
teaching conditions in schools such as Rochester Community District
3A. This is a tremendous opportunity to help our children, and we
should not let it pass us by."
In the governor's plan, $350 million would be dedicated to school
construction projects in 275 districts seeking state support for
local projects.
Rochester and 23 other school districts were promised $150
million in construction grants in 2002 and have not yet received
their state funding for the projects. Many of these school districts
have found themselves in dire straits, as taxpayers have pledged
their local share of money for the projects. Rochester has been at
the top of the state's school construction priority list since 2002.
In 2002, in part based on the promise of state support for their
school construction project, Rochester voters approved an $8 million
bond referendum to fund the local share of the sorely needed
project.
In 2005, Rochester voters returned to the polls and approved an
additional $11.2 million referendum to cover the state's share of
the school construction projects, while continuing to wait for state
reimbursement.
Rochester School Superintendent Thomas Bertrand said the district
has struggled for years with facilities that date back to the 1920s.
"The community had no choice but to move ahead with the
projects," Bertrand said. "We were literally at a crisis level."
The Rochester Junior High School has been forced to cancel school
attendance days because of an inoperable boiler and has endured
repeated flooding and sewer problems as well as electrical
difficulties.
The new funding for construction projects will allow Rochester
Community Unit School District 3A and other districts to address the
issues of obsolete and inadequate school buildings and construct
facilities that meet children's educational needs.
The Rochester school district has embarked on a two-phased
project, providing for additions to the elementary school, an
addition to Rochester High School, demolition of the current junior
high, construction of a new Performing Arts Center and junior high
school, remodeling and expansion of the cafeteria, and other related
work.
Illinois School Superintendent Randy Dunn said that up-to-date
facilities are crucial to providing the proper learning environment
for Illinois children.
[to top of second column]
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 "In communities like Rochester, the schools are the center of
activity for the entire community," Dunn said. "This really becomes
a broader quality-of-life issue for a community in cases such as
this."
The Rochester school district serves more than 2,100 students.
Rochester is a growing community, adding about 100 students to the
overall school roster each year.
In all, the governor's plan includes $550 million for school
construction and maintenance projects, including:
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$150 million for 24
school districts that received state commitments in fiscal 2002
that are still unfunded.
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$350 million to be
divided between some of the 275 school districts with grant
applications on file at the Illinois School Board of Education,
based on district needs and available matching funds.
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$50 million will be
made available for school maintenance program grants.
Many school districts that have approved referendums to support
school funding in their communities but continue to wait on the
state share of funding are seeing their window of opportunity about
to expire, as the local money will not be available any longer if
the state does not come through with its share.
The governor's $3.2 billion capital bill would create 230,000
jobs in Illinois, as well as build modern school facilities,
roadways and upgrade mass transit systems.
Central Illinois will benefit from a number of other projects in
the capital bill, including these:
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$40.3 million for
the Illinois Route 29 expansion from Springfield to Taylorville.
This would expand Route 29 from south of Berry to Edinburg, a
distance of 6.6 miles.
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$21.06 million for
the U.S. Route 51 expansion for the Assumption bypass.
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More than $7
million for the 11th Street extension in Springfield.
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$5 million to
widen and expand Fifth Street Road in Lincoln from Lincoln
Parkway to Connolley Road.
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More than $3
million in state and federal funds to extend MacArthur Boulevard
from Wabash to Iron Bridge Road in Springfield.
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$900,000 in state
and federal funds for Cockrell Lane in Springfield.
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State and federal
commitments for the Capitol Avenue project from Seventh to 11th
streets in Springfield.
[News release from the governor's
office] |
