Burzynski sponsors legislation to deliver funds
for Hinckley-Big Rock School District

     SPRINGFIELD–Twenty-three school districts across Illinois may receive their share of a long-awaited $150 million reimbursement from the state for school construction projects if an amendment sponsored by State Senator Brad Burzynski (R-Clare) re-appropriating the funding  is approved by state officials.
     Burzynski explained that school district administrators were dismayed to learn that the schools would not receive their reimbursements even though the funding was approved by lawmakers and signed into law; the Governor has refused to release the $150 million claiming that grant agreements were not signed by a July 1 deadline.
     Although many school districts protest that they have submitted the necessary paperwork in a timely manner, Burzynski and other lawmakers recently took steps to free the funding the schools have been waiting five years to receive.
     Burzynski has co-sponsored an amendment to House Bill 3860, which provides for the re-appropriation of these previously approved funds.
     “These projects were approved in 2002, and many of these schools—like Hinckley-Big Rock in my legislative district—have already gone ahead with the construction projects and are waiting to be reimbursed to cover their costs,” said Burzynski.
     “The state made a promise to these districts five years ago that they would receive this funding, and it’s time that Illinois makes good on that promise.”
     If the amendment is adopted, the Hinckley-Big Rock School District would receive the $1.9 million it is awaiting to cover the costs of construction completed several years ago for building renovations and additions to the elementary, middle and high schools.
     In 2006, Hinckley-Big Rock issued $2 million in bonds to help cover the costs associated with school construction. Although the $10 million construction project was completed years ago, the district had anticipated the state to reimburse some of the costs.