Ryan: $222,500 in Illinois First Projects for Northern Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - Governor George H. Ryan announced today that he is releasing $222,500 in Illinois FIRST funding for projects in Northern Illinois, including $200,000 to Northern Illinois University in DeKalb to pave the campus street used to access the new Convocation Center. The university is contributing $1,290,825. This Illinois FIRST project was initiated by State Sen. Bradley Burzynski, R-Sycamore.

Other Illinois FIRST grants announced by Ryan:

• $10,000 to the Rockford Park District to help construct parking lots and driveways at the Sportscore II facility.
  This project was initiated by State Rep. Dave Winters, R-Shirland.

• $12,500 to the Freeport Police Department to purchase and install traffic preemption devices at identified high-risk intersections.
  This project was initiated by State Rep. Ronald Lawfer, R-Stockton.

Illinois FIRST funds are not part of the state budget's General Revenue Fund. Recently, lagging tax collections brought on by a slowdown in the national economy and the terrorist attacks of September 11 have forced the governor to order spending cuts in the General Revenue Fund that amount to less than 2 percent of total spending. Illinois FIRST monies are derived from separate accounts in the state budget-- the Road Fund and the Fund for Illinois Future-- as well as through the sale of state bonds.