IL Supreme Court Considers Scrapping State Construction Plan

An "unconstitutional" ruling could force state lawmakers to dismantle the $31 billion construction program and reauthorize it in smaller pieces

Did the Illinois General Assembly violate the state constitution in passing a $31 billion construction program in 2009 that authorized video poker and raised liquor taxes and other fees? Or did Governor Pat Quinn and the bi-partisan coalition that crafted the state’s largest bricks-and-mortar program act properly?

Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office and a lawyer representing Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz and his family’s liquor distributorship, Wirtz Beverage Illinois, debated those points before the Illinois Supreme Court Tuesday in a closely-watched case. Should the court rule in the plaintiff's favor, the state legislature would have to repackage the state's largest capital improvement program and vote again.  

As of Thursday morning, May 19, the court had not rendered a decision.

(More at SunTimes.com . . . )

 

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