Tight Illinois budget still contains pet projects

Published



CHICAGO (AP) — The new state budget signed by Gov. Pat Quinn last week left lawmakers from both parties unhappy — but it didn’t leave them empty-handed.

Among expenses in the $35.7 billion spending plan, tucked into a document thousands of pages long, are millions of dollars for pet projects statewide. They range from a new school in House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Chicago district to money to promote a racetrack near St. Louis and funds to begin planning Illinois’ 200th birthday celebration — scheduled for 2018.

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