Capital bill needs bipartisan support

For eight long years, Illinois has gone without passing a Capital Bill that would fund state infrastructure and school improvements.

We've now come to a breaking point. We must begin work to restore, expand and rebuild our state schools, roads, bridges, airports, and rail and mass transit systems or face real economic and social consequences.

It's a proven fact that our state's infrastructure is in dire need of repair and expansion. There isn't an area in the state that isn't affected. From bridge expansion across the Mississippi River, to the continuing development of Routes 29 and 51, to the hazardous freeway congestion problems in Chicago and surrounding suburbs - this state needs dollars for our roads and bridges.

Recent inspections at our public airports have revealed the need for runway and taxiway construction as well as for aircraft rescue and fire fighting equipment.

A 2006 Needs Assessment Survey of our state's school districts indicates a need over the next few years of over $8 billion for general construction and repairs. At the same time our rail and public transit systems need a major influx of support to address years of deferred maintenance and repairs.

What all of this means for us is rough, unsafe travel, unbearably long commutes, and overcrowded, rundown schools. But it also adversely affects our economy. When truck, air and freight rail traffic in our state grinds to a halt, so to do the companies trying to ship products to and through our state. And when those same companies are deciding where to build new facilities they look closely at infrastructure and school systems.

As the president of the umbrella organization for Illinois' Labor unions, I also see this as a "jobs" bill. Funding these critical building projects will create as many as 725,000 good-paying construction jobs around the state. And those workers will in turn spend their money in their home towns.

State leaders must act now. Chicago desperately needs funding to fix mass transit and downstate Illinois desperately needs money for infrastructure repair and construction. And just as importantly, we need the jobs.

Now is the time for a bipartisan solution to fund and enact a capital works program. Let's do it! Call your legislators today and demand they pass a Capital Bill this year.

MICHAEL T. CARRIGAN is the president of the Illinois AFL-CIO. The Illinois AFL-CIO is the umbrella organization for all Illinois unions, representing 1 million workers.