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Rauner: Fairgrounds
foundation could alleviate taxpayer funded upkeep; and more
Written By: Greg Bishop, INN News
Reporter
March 23, 2016
RAUNER: FAIRGROUNDS FOUNDATION COULD ALLEVIATE TAXPAYER FUNDED UPKEEP
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 Having a foundation generate private donations for Illinois’ two fairgrounds
would help cover some of the maintenance costs, something Gov. Bruce Rauner says
would help direct tax dollars to other areas like education and social services.
With more than $180 million in deferred maintenance at the fairgrounds in
Springfield and DuQuoin, Illinois Department of Agriculture Acting Director
Raymond Poe says facilities aren’t as safe as they should be.
“A lot of buildings (have) yellow tape around them so that we keep people away
from them,” Poe said.
Rauner says passing a measure to allow for a state fairgrounds foundation to
collect private donations would help cover much-needed maintenance costs and
alleviate some of that taxpayer burden.
“Free up money to put into human services, free up money to put into our schools
and we can rely to a greater degree on the business community that would like to
step up and be generous,” Rauner said.
BILLS WOULD ALLOW PRIVATE DONATIONS FOR FAIRGROUND UPKEEP
Bills in the House and Senate would create such a foundation.
Republican state Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez says she’s been going to the
fairgrounds since she was a child, and that she hasn’t witnessed much upkeep
since then.
Poe also commented on the poor upkeep over the years.
“Sara said some of these buildings haven’t been worked on since she was a kid.
Well, I think some of them haven’t been since I was a kid,” Poe said, “and that
adds a lot more years to it.”
Rauner says the state needs to authorize a foundation to solicit private
donations as neighboring states have done.
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 “There’s no vehicle for businesses, agriculture businesses, to
donate to here in Illinois,” Rauner said. “We’ve got to change
that.”
Rauner pushed for lawmakers to take up House Bill 4990 and Senate
Bill 2903, which would create a fairgrounds foundation.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR SPECIALTY CROP
GRANTS
Illinois farmers who want to get a share of more than $520,000 in
grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture should submit their
proposals to the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
The state agriculture department announced on Monday that it is now
accepting proposals for the Specialty Crop Block Grant program.
Communication Manager Rebecca Clark says specialty crops could range
from horseradish to pumpkins and more.
“Illinois grapes are a specialty crop,” Clark said. “It’s a very
booming industry for the state of Illinois. You’ve also got lima
beans, sweet corn, peas, cantaloupe.”
SPECIAL PROJECTS ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR AGRICULTURE GRANTS
Clark says also candidates are farmers with projects that could
boost the agriculture industry by “looking at ways to make that crop
more sustainable to drought or floods or other things that Mother
Nature can throw our way,” Clark said.
Clark says since the grants come from the federal government and
don’t require state matching funds, Illinois’ lingering budget
impasse will not affect the awards.
Applications on specialty crops and projects are being accepted at
the Illinois Department of Agriculture until May 13, with awards
expected after the start of the federal fiscal year in October.
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