Ryan: $81,000 in Illinois FIRST Projects for Northwest Illinois

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan announced today that he is releasing $81,000 in Illinois FIRST funding for projects in Northwest Illinois, including $30,000 to Rock River Valley Self Help Enterprises, a not-for-profit corporation that provides services to mentally, physically and socially challenged persons in Whiteside County. The agency will install a new heating system and upgrade its technology system at its West LeFevre Road facility in Sterling.

This Illinois FIRST project was initiated by State Rep. Ronald Lawfer, R-Stockton.

Other Illinois FIRST grants announced by Ryan:

• $20,000 to the Village of Walnut to replace doors, windows and siding at the village hall.
  This project was initiated by State Rep. Jerry Mitchell, R-Sterling.

• $20,000 to the Scales Mound School District to purchase and install new playground equipment. The district, booster club and PTO are contributing $29,440.
  This project was initiated by State Sen. Todd Sieben, R-Geneseo.

• $10,000 to the Leaf River Fire Protection District to purchase a thermal imaging camera.
  This project was initiated by Lawfer.

• $1,000 to RICCA, a nonprofit family service and chemical dependency treatment and prevention organization in East Moline, to purchase computers and equipment.
  This project was initiated by State Sen. Denny Jacobs, D-East Moline.

Illinois FIRST funds are not part of the state budget's General Revenue Fund. Recently, lagging tax collections brought on by a slowdown in the national economy and the terrorist attacks of September 11 have forced the governor to order spending cuts in the General Revenue Fund that amount to less than 2 percent of total spending. Illinois FIRST monies are derived from separate accounts in the state budget -- the Road Fund and the Fund for Illinois Future -- as well as through the sale of state bonds.