Ryan: $842,500 in Illinois First Projects for the North and Northwest Suburbs

SPRINGFIELD - Governor George H. Ryan announced today that he is releasing $842,500 in Illinois FIRST funding for projects in the North and Northwest Suburbs, including $550,000 to the Chicago Horticultural Society to help restore an area of shorelines at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

The restoration of the eroding shorelines is an important element of a developing project, the "Great Basin", which will be a world-class display of aquatic plants with ten unique garden areas. $210,000 is being contributed from the Chicago Botanic Garden's budget. This Illinois FIRST project received five grants initiated by:

$200,000, State Rep. Elizabeth Coulson, R-Glenview.
$100,000, State Rep. Jeffrey M. Schoenberg, D-Evanston.
$100,000, State Rep. Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest
$100,000, State Rep. Karen May, D-Highland Park
$50,000, State Sen. Terry Link, D-Vernon Hills

Other Illinois FIRST grants announced by Ryan:

• $100,000 to the Village of Fox Lake to construct a skate park.
  This project was initiated by State Sen. Adeline J. Geo-Karis, R-Zion.

• $91,500 to the Village of Spring Grove to purchase educational materials for a DARE program, defibrillators and radar units and to help construct an addition to its police department building. The village is contributing $475,000.

• $40,000 to Prospect Heights to integrate several private stormwater drainage systems. The city is contributing $277,500.
  This project was initiated by State Sen. Kathleen K. Parker, R-Northbrook.

• $25,000 to Clearbrook School to install eight ADA accessible bathrooms in a building on Payne Street in Schaumburg.
  This project was initiated by State Sen. Dave Sullivan, R-Mt Prospect.

• $18,000 to the Lake Villa Volunteer Fire Department to purchase integrated personal safety devices.
  This project was initiated by Geo-Karis.

• $15,000 to Des Plaines Community Consolidated School District 62 to fund its SPARK Early Childhood Department and upgrade six classrooms to accommodate window mounted air-conditioning units.
  This project was initiated by Sullivan.

• $3,000 to the Vernon Hills Park District to purchase two defibrillator units.
  This project was initiated by Geo-Karis.

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.