By Chicago Metropolis 2020
Chicago Metropolis 2020 has sent a letter to the members of the Illinois Works Coalition, established by the Governor. In it, our Chairman and President encourage its members to think comprehensively about long-term State needs for capital investment, improve the capital planning process and asking its members to think about the size of a program.
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The Honorable Glendal William Poshard
President
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, IL 62901
Dear President Poshard:
Congratulations on your appointment to the Governor’s Illinois Works Coalition.
Analyzing the state’s infrastructure needs, setting clear objectives and priorities for expenditures, and finding reliable revenue sources are all important tasks. We commend you for taking on this assignment.
As you execute your responsibilities, there are three points that we ask you to keep in mind.
First, the transportation program needs to be substantial in size and scope. In light of the need – estimated at $14 billion over five years in new state and local dollars for rail, road and transit – a small symbolic program makes no sense. The business community and public will lose patience with inadequate, piecemeal efforts that allow our infrastructure to crumble and the economy to suffer.
Second, you need to find a revenue source that is reliable and sustainable. Burdening the state’s balance sheet with more debt without new revenues to pay for it is unacceptable. Raiding the road fund to pay for new debt is a shell game. Increasing user fees or taxes is the most responsible way to fund a capital program.
Third, it is essential to create a process to ensure that investments are based on clearly articulated state goals and a rationale for setting priorities. The process should result in investments that yield the greatest transportation, economic and environmental benefits. Two recent reports, by the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission and the Eddington Commission for the United Kingdom, recommend this type of thorough analysis. If you only produce a capital bill that is a grab bag of projects without such a rationale, it will fail to give the public confidence about how their money is used.
Last month the Pew Center on the States released its performance evaluation of the 50 states in the areas of personnel management, information management, financial management, and infrastructure planning. Illinois received a grade of “C”, which is a drop from the “C+” it received three years ago. Only 6 of the 50 states received a grade lower than Illinois’.
You may argue with the Pew rankings and the criteria they used. However, Illinois taxpayers that have to foot the bill for infrastructure have a right to expect better before they open their pocketbooks once again.
We need to invest in the state’s infrastructure, or we risk losing our competitive position. You have an opportunity to reform the way we manage and fund our capital program. If the funding is not accompanied by reforms, it will be difficult to gain public support for investing in a third-rate program.
Sincerely,
Donald G. Lubin George A. Ranney
Chairman President & Chief Executive Officer
Posted on March 21, 2008