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STATEHOUSE INSIDER
OSLAD Funding Restored November 5 referendum results and the 2003 Legal Calendar THE ILLINOIS HOUSE and Senate acted quickly and decisively during the final week of the veto session to restore to their original levels the funding formulas for the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development program and the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund. The overwhelming support by members of the House (104 to 10) and Senate (54 to 0) reflects the members' strong support and understanding of the critical value these programs bring to Illinois. A strong coalition of conservation organizations got out the message and this success bodes well for coalition efforts in the future. It is a credit to you, the IAPD membership, as well. Without your prompt response to a call to action, this initiative would not have moved forward. Our thanks also go to the sponsors of SB 1809, Senators Weaver, Park and Welch, and Representatives Hamos, May, Winters, Stone and Coulson, who acted as joint sponsors. Many other representatives were also co-sponsors and these are listed on our Web site, www.ILparks.org. SB 1809 was sent to the governor on December 12. Once again, the membership rose to the occasion and bombarded the governor's office with letters and faxes in support of OSLAD, and your work paid off. The great news is that the governor signed SB 1809 on January 3, 2003, and this program will now be fully funded in the future. ABOUT THE MAJORITIES A partisan shift has taken place in the Illinois Senate with democratic control for the first time in ten years. Speaker Madigan kept control of the House with 68 Democratic and 50 Republican members. The Senate will have 31 Democrats, 27 Republicans and 1 Independent. Democrats also won all but one statewide executive office (treasurer), as well as the U.S. Senate seat with Dick Durbin returning to the Senate for a second term. But in the only U.S. House race in which incumbents faced each other, Republican John Shimkus defeated Democrat David Phelps for District 19. The Illinois Senate will get eight totally new members (six Democrats, one Republican, and one Independent). In addition, seven current representatives and one former representative (four Democrats and four Republicans) are moving to the Senate; and one Republican appointed to the Senate in the 92nd General Assembly has been elected to the 93rd. The House will get 24 totally new members (14 Democrats and ten Republicans); three were appointed to the 92nd General Assembly; one Democratic senator who is moving to the House; and one former Republican representative returning to the House. There are 17 Senators and 27 House members who will not be returning to the General Assembly. OSLAD/LWCF GRANTS AWARDED Last December 11, the Governor's Office announced $17.6 million in grants for 57 projects that include acquisition of land for new local parks, development of park lands, and improvements to recreation facilities. The grants fund up to one-half of the cost of projects including acquiring land; installing new playground equipment; building and renovating swimming pools and aquatic play-
14 Illinois Parks and Recreation ISSUES AND INSIGHTS FROM THE LEGAL/LEGISLATIVE SCENE
grounds; developing new skating, skate-boarding and sports facilities; building and installing walking paths and other trails; and, improving access to park facilities. For information about OSLAD and LWCF, see page 41. Bolingbrook Park District (Will Co.) $400,000 to further develop Indian Boundary Park Byron Forest Preserve District (Ogle Co.) $270,500 to develop a 76-acre park with a pioneer theme Champaign County Forest Preserve District $222,300 to initially develop the 275-acre River Bend Forest Preserve Champaign Park District (Champaign Co.) $75,000 to develop a five-acre neighborhood park Channahon Park District (Will Co.) $190,600 to develop a 27-acre site in conjunction with Channahon Elementary School District #17 Chicago Park District (Cook Co.) $2,200,000 to develop a 27-acre site into a new recreational and geologic interpretive park Fox Valley Park District (Aurora, Will Co.) $284,100 to develop an 18-acre community parksite Kane County Forest Preserve District $750,000 to acquire a 67-acre parcel abutting the 90-acre Blackberry Maples Forest Preserve Lan-Oak Park District (Lansing, Cook Co.) $750,000 to purchase 148 acres that will finalize acquisitions for development of an 18-hole golf course Lisle Park District (DuPage Co.) $400,000 to renovate Sea Lion Aquatic Park Macon County Conservation District $33,400 to develop a fishing dock McHenry County Conservation District $383,000 to initially develop the Pleasant Valley Conservation Area Naperville Park District (DuPage Co.) $400,000 to develop 30-acre Country Lakes Park New Lenox Community Park District (Will Co.) $142,500 to develop five-acre Palmer Valley Park Oak Lawn Park District (Cook Co.) $111,300 to further develop Worthbrook Park Plainfield Township Park District (Will Co.) $400,000 for the initial development of a 25-acre community park Pleasant Dale Park District (Burr Ridge, Cook Co.) $220,600 to renovate six-acre Soehrman Park Quincy Park District (Adams Co.) $400,000 to renovate the Indian Mounds Pool Rockford Park District (Winnebago Co.) $400,000 to renovate the Harkins Pool Rolling Meadows Park District (Cook Co.) $243,200 to develop the recently acquired 8.6-acre site known as Plum Grove Community Park Streamwood Park District (Cook Co.) $400,000 to develop the 11.8-acre Sunny Hill park site Tolono Park District (Champaign Co.) $70,300 to acquire 6.665 acres on Central Street Warrenville Park District (DuPage Co.) $171,800 to acquire an additional 5.17 acres directly west of Summer Lakes Park Winfield Park District (DuPage Co.) $176,900 to redevelop the existing 6.7-acre creek side park Winnebago Park District (Winnebago Co.) $327,800 to acquire 26.06 acres for the development of a sports and recreation complex in Winnebago January/February 2003 15 ISSUES AND INSIGHTS FROM THE LEGAL/LEGISLATIVE SCENE Referendum Results - November 5, 2002 Below is a report of select referenda (those affecting park districts and forest preserves) submitted to the voters for the General Election held November 5, 2002. The data was obtained from election authorities, jurisdictional canvassing board abstracts and IAPD members. There were a total of 19 referenda proposals for park districts appearing in the General Election, 4 passed and 15 failed. The following is a summary of those referenda affecting park districts and forest preserves.
January/February 2003 17 STATEHOUSE INSIDER
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AVAILABLE NOW! THE "PARKS BENEFIT YOUTH" PLATE!
