Durbin, Bustos want Rauner to keep pledge for Rockford airport funds

SPRINGFIELD — Two Democrats in Illinois’ congressional delegation are urging Gov. Bruce Rauner to release money they say the state pledged for improvements at Chicago Rockford International Airport.

Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Cheri Bustos issued a letter to the Republican governor asking him to release $16.3 million for a midfield improvement project.

Rauner and the Democrat-controlled Legislature haven’t agreed on a budget for the fiscal year which began July 1.

The airport project is under way and Congress is considering adding $2.5 million in federal money. Durbin and Bustos say if Illinois reneges it could jeopardize the project and hundreds of jobs. They say they believe state lawmakers already appropriated the money.

However, Rauner’s spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said Sunday that proper documentation allowing the money to be released wasn’t submitted.

The Latest
Sneed is told President Joe Biden was actually warned a year and a half ago by a top top Dem pollster that his re-election was in the doghouse with young voters. Gov. J.B. Pritzker was being urged to run in a primary in case Biden pulled the plug.
Thousands gathered in Union Park for the Pitchfork Music Festival, the Chicago Bears started training camp at Halas Hall, and Vice President Kamala Harris kicked off her presidential campaign.
Williams got in defensive end DeMarcus Walker’s face as he went after tight end Gerald Everett on Friday.
Bielema still needs to prove the Illini can win in a conference that just got even better with Oregon, USC, Washington and UCLA on board and has done away with divisions, the days of a weaker West now over.
Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of TNT Sports, is seeking a judgment that it matched Amazon Prime Video’s offer and an order seeking to delay the new media rights deal from taking effect beginning with the 2025-26 season.