"US House OKs money to study Peotone economic benefits"

Thursday, June 28, 2007

U.S. House OKs money to study Peotone economic benefits
Crain's Chicago (IL) Business


The U.S. House approved $231,000 proposed by Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.
(D-Chicago) to study the economic benefits of building a new Chicago-area
airport near Peotone, soundly rebuffing a Republican attempt to strip it
from a larger funding measure.

Conservatives on the hunt for questionable spending items attacked Rep.
Jackson's earmark on the House floor on Thursday, questioning why federal
money was being spent on an airport that doesn't exist and is supposed to be
built with private capital.

They also noted that Rick Bryant, administrator of Rep. Jackson's district
office in Chicago, serves as executive director of the Abraham Lincoln
National Airport Commission (ALNAC), the proposed recipient of the funds.

Building a third airport near his South Side district has been a longtime
goal of Rep. Jackson, who is locked in a struggle with Will County officials
over who will control the development and operation of the airport. Gov. Rod
Blagojevich has yet to commit the state to one airport plan or the other. 

The effort to kill the earmark was defeated by a wide margin.

In a statement, Rep. Jackson says the federal money will allow ALNAC to
"partner with local universities and/or small business development centers
to conduct a comprehensive study on how the region can maximize job creation
and retention, and ensure local and minority participation during all phases
of the forthcoming airport project."

"While others pout, shout and stomp on the sidelines, ALNAC continues to
press forward with the only viable, comprehensive and financed plan to build
the Abraham Lincoln National Airport," he adds.

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