Critics slam Illinois’ $36M park grants as political, wasteful
[January 23, 2026]
By Cat Barker | The Center Square contributor
(The Center Square) – The Pritzker administration’s recent announcement
of $36 million in state grants for local park projects is drawing
criticism from taxpayer advocates who say the program is politically
selective, inefficient and funded a tax burden on Illinois residents.
Last week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Natural
Resources announced $36 million in Open Space Land Acquisition and
Development grants for 67 park projects across Illinois, funding things
like walking paths, playgrounds, pickleball courts, and sports
facilities.
However, Brian Costin, deputy state director of Americans for
Prosperity–Illinois, said the announcement overlooks serious concerns
about how the money is collected and distributed.
“This is a question of fairness,” Costin told TCS. “There are 1,295
municipalities and 347 park districts in the state of Illinois, and only
67 grants were awarded. That’s less than 5%. Who gets the grants, and
who doesn’t? It’s very susceptible to politics.”
The OSLAD program is funded in part by Illinois’ real estate transfer
tax, a fee paid when property changes hands. Costin noted that many
states do not impose a state-level transfer tax at all.
“It’s basically a sales tax on selling your home,” Costin said. “We
already have the second-highest, or depending on the metric, the
highest, property taxes in the nation. This is just another tax layered
on top in a state that already has the highest combined state and local
tax burden in the country.”
Critics say Illinois’ park grant program is weighed down by bureaucracy,
political favoritism, and uneven distribution, diverting attention and
resources from the state’s deeper financial problems.
Costin criticized the structure of the grant program itself, arguing
that the application and selection process creates unnecessary
administrative costs.
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“There are huge administration costs that go along with this,” he
said. “There’s a very long application process, there’s no real
transparency in how decisions are made, and there’s a lot of
deadweight loss. Why don’t we just leave the money in communities to
begin with?”
Several communities awarded grants publicly thanked Pritzker in
statements included in the state’s announcement. Costin said that
dynamic highlights what he sees as a fundamental problem.
“We shouldn’t be forced to show gratitude to get our own tax dollars
back,” Costin said. “It’s a very backwards way of doing things. This
turns into PR and political messaging instead of an efficient way to
distribute public money.”
Costin acknowledged that grants this year went to communities
represented by both Republicans and Democrats but said the timing
and promotion of the awards remain problematic.
“In the past, these grants have been rolled out right before
elections to generate positive press,” he said. “It’s supposed to be
a cost-sharing program, but it ends up creating conflict when only a
handful of communities are picked as winners.”
Costin argued that if the state insists on maintaining the program,
funding should be distributed more evenly.
“Every community should receive funding based on population or a
clear formula, not a selective process where a few winners are
chosen from a laundry list of applicants,” said Costin.
He also questioned whether park amenities should be considered a top
priority given Illinois’ broader fiscal challenges.
“We have $140 billion in pension debt, more than any other state,”
Costin said. “It feels like fiddling while Rome burns.”
The Pritzker administration has defended the OSLAD program as a
long-standing investment in public recreation and quality of life.
The program has awarded more than $675 million since its creation in
1986. |
