Bill No.: HB 4166
An Act Making Appropriations
Action: Line-Item Veto
Effective: July 1, 2015
A copy of the veto message is below.
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois House of Representatives,
99th General Assembly:
Today I approve House Bill 4166 from the 99th General Assembly, which re-appropriates funds for previously approved road construction and other capital projects, except for certain vetoed items identified below.
Continued investment in our public infrastructure is critical to economic development. We must maintain the infrastructure that has made Illinois a major transportation hub for the world economy. This bill enhances mobility, helps to maintain our State's competitive advantage, and supports construction and permanent jobs across Illinois.
Our taxpayer dollars, however, could go further. We need truly competitive bidding to maximize the value of our resources, particularly during this time of fiscal crisis. State laws like the Prevailing Wage Act and the Project Labor Agreements Act are barriers to entry and inflate construction prices. We need to reform the way we spend taxpayer dollars in order to deliver the most value to our residents and businesses.
We must also ensure that our limited taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, and that we prioritize funds for critical deferred maintenance. In light of the General Assembly's unbalanced budget and the need for additional savings, I am vetoing earmarks, including Capitol building renovations, in order to make those funds available for other priorities.
