On September 26, 2024, we at South Central Reporter submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Montgomery County. The request sought records detailing all payments made to vendors from January 1, 2024, until the date of the request.
The requested information included the vendor name, transaction date, transaction description, and amount for each payment. This data is essential in providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
As part of our commitment to holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public, we believe access to such records is vital. As media professionals engaged in gathering and reporting news to the public, we have also applied for a fee waiver for this request.
In related news, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced in July 2023 an extensive multi-year program called Rebuild Illinois. This initiative aims to improve and repair all modes of transportation across the state. Governor JB Pritzker said during the announcement that over $40 billion would be invested over six years in improving roads and bridges, modernizing transit and aviation, and expanding faster passenger rail service.
Rebuild Illinois has ten major projects planned or underway in Chicago alone with an investment of $396 million earmarked for improving safety and mobility on Illinois's roads and bridges. Three of these projects are slated for completion in 2024 while the remaining seven are projected to be completed between 2025 through 2030.
Furthermore, under Rebuild Illinois program, $107 million is being invested in seven projects in Kane County while $220 million is being allocated for ten projects in central Cook County aimed at constructing roads and bridges.
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