July 13, 2009

 

 

 

To the Honorable Members of the

Illinois Senate

96th General Assembly

 

Today I return Senate Bill 1221 with item and reduction vetoes in the amount of $3,466,183,100.

 

This bill appropriates funds for projects as part of the Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program. Every single appropriation relating to the capital plan becomes law today. These measures are an important step towards revitalizing our State’s economy and putting people back to work. I commend the members of the General Assembly for passing these appropriations and, today, I become the first Governor in a decade to be able to say that there is a vibrant, expansive, and transparent capital plan in place for our State.

 

This bill also links other State spending, including appropriations to the State retirement systems and to my office, side by side with the capital expenditures. My actions today make a series of technical modifications that anticipate the General Assembly acting on separate appropriations to fund state operations and contributions to the pension systems.

 

The appropriations in this bill to the pension systems are unnecessary and I veto those appropriations to avoid a duplicative appropriation at the expense of the State's General Revenue Fund. 

 

I also veto, in its entirety, the appropriation made to my office in Article 15, Section 5 of $2,230,000,000. This appropriation to my office is not supported by available revenue. I anticipate that the General Assembly will act this week on a bill that will provide over $3,000,000,000 to be spent in a prudent, responsible manner. That bill is an important stopgap that addresses our present situation and renders the appropriation to my office moot.

 

Therefore, pursuant to Article IV, Section 9(d) of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 1221, entitled “AN ACT concerning appropriations” with reduction and item vetoes in appropriations totaling $3,466,183,100.

Item Vetoes

 

            I hereby veto the appropriations items listed below:

 

 

Article	Section	Page	Line(s)				Amount Enacted
15	5	990	2	-	11		2,230,000,000
16	5	993	17	-	21		747,577,000
16	10	994	1	-	10		1,600,000
16	25	995	2	-	6		120,550,000
16	35	995	13	-	22		289,677,100
16	40	996	1	-	4		37,925,000
16	45	996	5	-	9		2,800,000

 

Reductions

 

            I hereby reduce the appropriation item listed below and approve each item in the amount set forth in the “Reduced Amount” column below:

 

 

Article	Section	Page	Line(s)				Amount Enacted	Reduced Amount
16	20	994	17	x	x	x	175,054,000	139,000,000

 

 

 

In addition to these specific item vetoes and reductions, I hereby approve all other appropriation items in Senate Bill 1221.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Pat Quinn

GOVERNOR