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Rep. Unes: Capital Bill Process Was Rushed

State Rep. Mike Unes (R-East Peoria) said he is displeased with the way the capital bill quickly took shape. 

Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a $45 billion infrastructure upgrade plan into law last month. 

“There was thousands of pages of bills introduced in a matter of hours that spent over $40 billion that we were supposed to vote on without anybody reading it. That’s bad form," he said. 

The Republican legislator said lawmakers were asked to vote on doubling the state motor fuel tax without getting a chance to actually know which projects would benefit. 

In his district, Unes said a project to upgrade Court Street (Illinois Route 9) in Pekin was left out of the bill, and expenses for the widening of U.S. Route 24 in Peoria and Fulton Counties from two to four lanes didn't have itemized expenses, but was instead funded by a lump sum amount. 

The Republican representative from East Peoria said there is no question there are infrastructure needs in Illinois, but he thinks the process could have been better. 

The “Rebuild Illinois” bill signed by Pritzker is the first major infrastructure plan passed by the Illinois General Assembly in 10 years.

Copyright 2021 WCBU. To see more, visit WCBU.

Tim Shelley is the News Director at WCBU Peoria Public Radio.