On September 26, 2024, we at Rock Island Today submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Henry County. The request pertains to obtaining records of all payments made to vendors from January 1, 2024, till the date of the request.
The requested records should ideally include the vendor's name, transaction date, description of the transaction, and the amount involved. As a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we believe that access to such public records is crucial for fulfilling our professional responsibilities.
Our role involves holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency for the public. Given this role in disseminating information, we have also requested a fee waiver as media professionals.
In related news, The Illinois Department of Transportation announced in July 2023 the most extensive multi-year program, Rebuild Illinois. This program aims to improve and repair all modes of transportation across the state. Governor JB Pritzker commented on this initiative saying "Over the next six years, we're investing over $40 billion to improve all modes of transportation across our great state. That means better roads and bridges, modernized transit and aviation, and expanded and faster passenger rail service."
Rebuild Illinois has planned or implemented ten major projects in Chicago alone with an investment of $396 million. These projects aim to enhance safety and mobility on Illinois's roads and bridges. Three out of these ten projects are scheduled for completion in 2024 while the remaining seven are projected for completion between 2025 through 2030.
Under this program, seven projects in Kane County are being funded with an investment of $107 million. Additionally, central Cook County is seeing an investment of $220 million for ten projects focused on constructing roads and bridges.
We will continue monitoring developments related to our FOIA request and the Rebuild Illinois program, providing updates as they become available.
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