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1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Illinois Main Street Act.
 
6    Section 5. Legislative purpose. The General Assembly makes
7the following findings:
8        (1) The continued economic vitality of downtown and
9    neighborhood commercial districts in our municipalities is
10    essential to community preservation, social cohesion, and
11    economic growth.
12        (2) Municipalities need to maintain their local
13    economies so that business owners will be able to provide
14    goods and services to the community, to provide employment
15    opportunities, to avoid disinvestment and economic
16    dislocations, and to develop and sustain downtown and
17    neighborhood commercial district revitalization programs
18    to address these problems.
 
19    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
20    "Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic
21Opportunity.
22    "Director" means the Director of Commerce and Economic

 

 

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1Opportunity.
2    "Program" means the Illinois Main Street Program.
 
3    Section 15. Illinois Main Street Program. The Illinois Main
4Street Program is created within the Department. In order to
5implement the Illinois Main Street Program, the Department
6shall do all of the following:
7        (1) Provide assistance to municipalities designated as
8    Main Street Communities, municipalities interested in
9    becoming designated through the program, and businesses,
10    property owners, organizations, and municipalities
11    undertaking a comprehensive downtown or neighborhood
12    commercial district revitalization initiative and
13    management strategy. Assistance may include, but is not
14    limited to, initial site evaluations and assessments,
15    training for local programs, training for local program
16    staff, site visits and assessments by technical
17    specialists, local program design assistance and
18    evaluation, and continued local program on-site
19    assistance.
20        (2) To the extent funds are made available, provide
21    financial assistance to municipalities or local
22    organizations to assist in initial downtown or
23    neighborhood commercial district revitalization program
24    specialized training, specific project feasibility
25    studies, market studies, and design assistance.

 

 

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1        (3) Operate the Illinois Main Street Program in
2    accordance with the plan developed by the Department.
3        (4) Consider other factors the Department deems
4    necessary for the implementation of this Act.
 
5    Section 20. Main Street Community designation.
6    (a) The Department shall adopt criteria for the designation
7of a Main Street Community. In establishing the criteria, the
8Department shall consider all of the following:
9        (1) The degree of interest and commitment to
10    comprehensive downtown or neighborhood commercial district
11    revitalization and, where applicable, historic
12    preservation by both the public and private sectors.
13        (2) The evidence of potential private sector
14    investment in the downtown or neighborhood commercial
15    district.
16        (3) Where applicable, a downtown or neighborhood
17    commercial district with sufficient historic fabric to
18    become a foundation for an enhanced community image.
19        (4) The capacity of the organization to undertake a
20    comprehensive program and the financial commitment to
21    implement a long-term downtown or neighborhood commercial
22    district revitalization program that includes a commitment
23    to employ a professional program manager.
24        (5) The National Main Street Center's criteria for
25    designating official main street municipalities.

 

 

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1        (6) Other factors the Department deems necessary for
2    the designation of a local program.
3    (b) Illinois Main Street shall designate local downtown or
4neighborhood commercial district revitalization programs and
5official local main street programs.
6    (c) The Department must approve all local downtown or
7neighborhood commercial district revitalization program
8boundaries. The boundaries of a local downtown or neighborhood
9commercial district revitalization program are typically
10defined using the pedestrian core of a traditional commercial
11district.
 
12    Section 25. Illinois Main Street Plan. The Department
13shall, in consultation with the Lieutenant Governor, develop a
14plan for the Illinois Main Street Program. The plan shall
15describe:
16        (1) the objectives and strategies of the Illinois Main
17    Street Program;
18        (2) how the Illinois Main Street Program will be
19    coordinated with existing federal, state, local, and
20    private sector business development and historic
21    preservation efforts;
22        (3) the means by which private investment will be
23    solicited and employed;
24        (4) the methods of selecting and providing assistance
25    to participating local programs; and

 

 

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1        (5) a means to solicit private contributions for State
2    and local operations of the Illinois Main Street Program.
 
3    Section 30. Role of the Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant
4Governor shall be the Ambassador of the Illinois Main Street
5Program. The Department shall advise and consult with the
6Lieutenant Governor on the activities of the Illinois Main
7Street Program. The Lieutenant Governor, with the assistance of
8the Department, shall promote and encourage the success of the
9Illinois Main Street Program.
 
10    Section 35. Illinois Main Street Fund. The Illinois Main
11Street Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury.
12All receipts from private contributions, federal funds,
13legislative appropriations, and fees for services, if levied,
14must be deposited into the Fund. Subject to appropriation,
15expenditures from the Fund may be used only for the benefit of
16the Illinois Main Street Program.
 
17    Section 40. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
18Section 5.786 as follows:
 
19    (30 ILCS 105/5.786 new)
20    Sec. 5.786. The Illinois Main Street Fund.
 
21    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22becoming law.