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Beyond transportation: Other capital bill measures could support ON TO 2050 community, environment recommendations

The capital package provides funding for natural resources, affordable housing, and projects throughout the region for a wide variety of purposes that extend beyond investments in transportation.

Capital revenues and proposed expenditures approved by the Illinois General Assembly and signed by Governor Pritzker were established in four separate pieces of legislation in the summer of 2019: Public Acts 101-0029 (capital appropriations), 101-0030 (bonding authorization), 101-0031 (revenues for other infrastructure projects), and 101-0032 (transportation revenues). These are collectively known as the Rebuild Illinois program. 

In addition to funds that will come from project-specific appropriations, communities throughout northeastern Illinois will have to contemplate changes introduced by measures such as an historic expansion of gaming and reforms to sales tax collection. This analysis provides a synopsis of this legislation and a brief discussion of ongoing policy priorities for the implementation of ON TO 2050, excluding transportation infrastructure investments. A companion policy analysis examines transportation infrastructure in the capital package, and implications for ON TO 2050 implementation.