Illinois Policy Institute and CAGW Release Piglet Book on Capital Bill

Pork-Barrel Spending Financed by More Borrowing, Higher Taxes and Fees

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Illinois Policy Institute and Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released a new report shining the spotlight on state spending: If You Build It, Debt Will Come: A Closer Look at the Illinois Capital Spending Spree. The latest piglet book identifies a series of egregious spending examples included in the $31 billion capital bill that is paid for by more borrowing, raising taxes and fees, and expanding gambling. The Institute and CAGW have released multiple piglet books documenting questionable spending within state government.

“Further, the notion that this so-called ‘jobs bill’ has put people to work is false; we’ve seen 24,000 fewer jobs this summer than last summer.”

Highlights of Capital Bill Piglet Book

• $322 million in fee increases; $300 million from expanding video gaming; and $162 million in tax hikes;
• $15.6 million for capital improvements to the Chicago Zoological Society;
• $3,291,528 for attracting waterfowl and improving public migratory waterfowl areas;
• $2.3 million for The Old Town School of Folk Music;
• $337,020 for conservation for furbearing mammals; and
• $100,000 for the Anderson Japanese Gardens for construction of a new pavilion.

The entire report and wasteful spending highlights can be found here.

“At a time when Springfield can’t find solutions to a budget crisis, they found an opportunity to pass a $31 billion capital bill filled with questionable spending financed by taxpayers and generations to come. Even a year after the capital bill’s passage, Illinois still doesn’t have a solution in place for balancing the annual operating budget,” said Kristina Rasmussen, Executive Vice President of the Illinois Policy Institute. “Further, the notion that this so-called ‘jobs bill’ has put people to work is false; we’ve seen 24,000 fewer jobs this summer than last summer.”

“Far from creating much-needed jobs, this wasteful bill has plunged cash-strapped Illinois even further into debt, spending billions of dollars on programs that have little value or urgency,” said David Williams, CAGW Vice President of Policy. “The state is more than $12 billion dollars in debt, and instead of paying the bills, the government is spending $26,175,859 for bike paths and $100,000 for renovations to the Dolphinarium at the Brookfield Zoo. It is clear that Illinois taxpayers deserve better.”

The Illinois Policy Institute is a nonpartisan research and education organization, a leading voice for economic liberty and government accountability in Illinois, engaging policymakers, opinion leaders, and citizens on the state and local level by promoting free market principles and liberty-based public policy initiatives. To learn more, visit www.illinoispolicy.org. CAGW is a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization representing more than one million members and supporters nationwide whose mission is to eliminate waste, mismanagement, and inefficiency in the federal government. To learn more, visit www.cagw.org.