County hears some good news about state funding
<p class="p1">Recent authorization of a $3.1 billion state spending bill came as good news for Union County officials.</p><p class="p1">The spending bill was approved Dec. 7 by the Illinois State Senate and then signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner.</p><p class="p1">Even though the spending measure was approved, the State of Illinois remains without a budget for Fiscal Year 2015-2016. The fiscal year began on July 1.</p><p class="p1">The passage of the bill was noted at a regular meeting of the Union County Board of Commissioners which was held last Friday morning. The meeting was held at the Union County Courthouse in Jonesboro.</p><p class="p1">County officials have been closely monitoring the state's budget situation for months. </p><p class="p1">The lack of a state budget has meant that funding has not been received for a number of Union County programs.</p><p class="p1">The state fiscal impasse also led to the commissioners to take a cautious approach to appropriations for the county's own Fiscal Year 2015-2016 budget.</p><p class="p1">The county's fiscal year began on Dec. 1. The budget document approved by the commissioners noted that "we cannot envision what our revenue sources and resulting financing condition will be beyond the six months" which end on May 31, 2016.</p><p class="p1">With that uncertainty in mind, the commissioners only approved appropriations through the first six months of the county's fiscal year, which ends on Nov. 30, 2016.</p><p class="p1">Illinois Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger said that the legislation approved on Dec. 7 would allow her office "to swiftly process payment for local governments, 911 emergency phone services, lottery winners and domestic violence shelters." </p><p class="p1">Approval of the bill means that the Union County Highway Department and the Union County E-911 emergency communications system are slated to receive some much-needed funding.</p><p class="p1">"That's probably the best news we've had in a long time," Union County Board of Commissioners chairperson Richard Cunningham said about plans for the state to release funding. He said the funds will "help out tremendously."</p><p class="p1">Union County E-911 coordinator Jana Fear said that she was anticipating the arrival of $36,000 from the state.</p><p class="p1">Union County Highway Department superintendent and engineer Kevin Grammer also welcomed the news.</p><p class="p1">The highway department is supposed to receive monthly allocations of state motor fuel tax funds. The funds are used for the department's daily operations, maintenance work and salaries.</p><p class="p1">On average, Grammer said that the county receives about $75,000 in motor fuel tax funds. The last time the funds had been received was in July.</p><p class="p1">Funding for the highway department had been a major concern, especially with the pending arrival of winter and the possibility of having to pay for clearing local roads of snow and ice.</p><p class="p1">Grammer said that he had received word this week regarding allocation of the motor fuel tax funds.</p><p class="p1">Vouchers for July motor fuel tax distribution were sent to the state comptroller Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 8, and released that evening by the comptroller.</p><p class="p1">Vouchers for August revenue distribution were sent to the comptroller on Wednesday morning, Dec. 9, and released that evening. Action on distribution of September funding followed on Thursday, Dec. 10. Further allocations were anticipated early this week.</p><p class="p1">December motor fuel tax funds are set to be distributed in early January.</p><p class="p1">Grammer said that the allocation of the funds will allow the highway department to begin catching up on a backlog of repair work.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p>