Governor signs legislation allowing city of Chicago to lease Midway Airport         

[MAY 11, 2006]  SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich signed Senate Bill 2872, allowing the city of Chicago to lease Midway Airport to a private entity that will continue its operation. The legislation, signed May 9, was sponsored by state Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, and state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, and is effective immediately.

The new law lists a number of requirements for the entity that leases Midway. For instance, the entity must pay all employees the same wage and benefits that they were receiving before the lease and must comply with all contracting and affirmative action requirements related to minority- and women-owned business. Additionally, at least 90 percent of the proceeds from the lease must be used for infrastructure construction and maintenance and municipal employee pension fund contributions.

[News release from the governor's office]