Sandoval urges an end to
politicizing capital bill
With 10% Unemployment, Governor's Signature Can Begin to
Create Thousands of Jobs Now

Pictured during Senator Sandoval's press conference in Springfield: Two members of organized labor, SenatorMichael Frerichs (D-Champaign), Senator John Sullivan (D - Rushville), Senator Martin Sandoval (D-Chicago) at the podium and executives of labor unions. Standing right in the foreground is Senator Deanna Demuzio (D-Carlinville).


Springfield, IL - StateSenators Martin Sandoval (D-Chicago) and John Sullivan (D-Rushville) stood today with members of organized labor and other concerned citizens to urge the Governor to end his refusal to sign the job-creating capital construction package that legislators passed in May. The measure received bipartisan support in both chambers in the General Assembly.
"Putting people to work should not be a political football," said Sandoval.  "It's shameful that the Governor's rhetoric has changed so drastically that he is now willing to withhold his signature on a bipartisan piece of legislation that will put hundreds of thousands of people to work." 

The legislators claim that the Governor has slid backward on his commitment to put a capital construction plan in place to create jobs and jump-start the Illinois economy.  Recent comments by the Governor show that he is reluctant to sign the measure until an agreement is reached on the state's operating budget. 

"This bill has been 10 years in the making," Sullivan added.  "It is now June and these projects need to start.  Our state needs these construction jobs too badly to wait." 

Members of organized labor and other groups have also been caught in the limbo this bill is currently facing.  Believing they had finally reached an agreement on this comprehensive measure after a decade, the rhetoric of the Governor to link this issue to others has them concerned to say the least. 

"Right now, unemployment is over ten percent in Illinois," said Sean Stott, Government Affairs Director of the Laborers International Union.  "We have to put people to work and the Jobs Package passed by legislators earlier this year will do just that - right now.  We're asking the governor to commit to signing the job-creation construction plan immediately."    

Special concerns addressed in the plan carry a dramatic effect for those impacted by the Governor's inaction.  Benld Elementary School is awaiting funds to rebuild the school after it collapsed due to mine subsidence.  Students spent the past year in mobile classrooms while a solution was sought.  This inaction may cause the students to endure another school year in this temporary setting. 

"The capital bill is critical for us to be able to do anything for our children," said Gillespie High School Principal Joe Tieman, where displaced elementary students are now attending classes on a split schedule.  "Without the funds included in this package, all of our students in District 7 will be negatively affected and unable to have a reasonable education experience.  They should not be caught in this political posturing."