Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker was in Rockford on Friday to celebrate the $32 million expansion of the Rockford Mass Transit District downtown bus station and garage.
The 18-month project that broke ground in November is being paid for from the Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan, a $45 billion capital improvement program. The program is also paying for the planned restoration of passenger train service to Rockford and the $58 million reconstruction of Alpine Road among others.
“You know, when you’re driving and you see an orange cone on the road and you’re thinking ‘I got to slow down for the orange cones,’ I just want to remind you, first, I’m sorry,” Pritzker said. “But I’m not really sorry because we really are rebuilding and modernizing everything. I mean every road, bridge and everywhere we can, we are sending money to local communities so they can make decisions about where you want to invest in your local roads.”
The RMTD’s administration, operations and maintenance facility at 520 Mulberry St. is being expanded by about 50,000 square feet. It will be capable of accommodating more buses and be equipped to recharge electric buses.
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said improving public transportation in the city will help improve lives. And as of Feb. 1, anyone enrolled in Rock Valley College, Rockford Career College, Rockford University, NIU Rockford, Judson, Rasmussen, U of I College of Medicine, OSF Nursing only has to show a valid student ID to ride Rockford’s fixed route service free of charge.
“That investment is a testament to our commitment to strengthening Rockford’s infrastructure and ensuring that all residents have access to safe, modern and efficient public transit,” McNamara said. “And it is ensuring that we work to remove barriers to our residents so that they can better themselves and their families.”
Funds withheld
During his comments, Pritzker said the Trump administration is withholding infrastructure funds allocated to Illinois and other states by Congress. Pritzker said he is fighting for every dime the state of Illinois is owed for infrastructure repair and improvement from the federal government.
Prizker said that it is unlawful for the administration to interfere with funds allocated by Congress.
“The White House is withholding crucial infrastructure dollars and preventing projects from progressing across, not just the state of Illinois, but across the country,” Pritzker said. “It is happening in red states and blue states. Projects have been pulled. And just in Illinois that means $826 million that were allocated to improve Illinois’ roads and transit bridges and rail lines from the federal government are being delayed — potentially unlawfully eliminated — we don’t know. That is the chaos and confusion that has come out of Washington. I mean, they ought to just tell us what they intend to do, but right now it’s just a mystery.”
Dismantling Education Department
Pritzker said that dismantling the U.S. Department of Education could have consequences for special education in Illinois and across the country. He said reasonable people can disagree about whether there should be a Department of Education or if it is being run efficiently.
But he said the true motive behind its dismantling is to save money to fund an enormous tax cut for the rich.
It’s clear they’re looking to find places to make significant cuts to cover $4.5 billion, perhaps more, for a massive tax cut for the wealthiest Americans,” Pritzker said. “That doesn’t seem right to take the money away from middle class, working class parents and their children in public schools, especially those most in need, and to hand it over to the wealthiest people in the country. That’s wrong and that is what I object to.”
Stellantis and tariffs
Pritzker said that theoretically the Belvidere Assembly Plant should have an advantage as tariffs are implemented because it is located in the U.S. But he said manufacturing is so interconnected, that some parts are shipped in from out of the country or shipped from the U.S. to another country for finishing before being shipped back.
Those tariffs will show up when Americans go to buy cars.
“People who voted for Donald Trump, I think expected — because he said so — prices will come down on Day 1,” Pritzker said. “We are on Day 65, he’s now promising prices are going to go up. I think that is a massive broken promise that we ought to be reminding the American people about. And most importantly, they should be reminding Congress, Republicans in Congress, and the president, that they need to reverse.”
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached via email at [email protected] and on X @jeffkolkey.
