Official: Rauner "Plays Politics" With Chicago Infrastructure Funds
CHICAGO (CBS) – A top transportation official accused Governor Bruce Rauner's Administration of putting the brakes on funds for several infrastructure projects in the city.
WBBM's Craig Dellimore reports.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration has been disputing with Gov. Rauner over cost overruns for a pedestrian bridge project on the South Side. City Transportation Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld said the state is holding up final approval on a number of road, bridge and traffic signal projects.
"Recently the state has started playing politics with moneys that come from the road fund, which have again, for decades, been committed to projects in Chicago," she said.
Scheinfeld also said those state road funds were paired with federal funds to help infrastructure construction.
Eleni Demertzis, spokeswoman for Gov. Rauner, released a statement in response to the CDOT's commissioner's claims, saying "we do not know what projects she is referring to. Without specifics, it is impossible to address what is appropriated and what is not. Unfortunately sometimes the city mismanages projects and comes to the state asking us to clean up their mess."
Rebekah Scheinfeld will talk more about infrastructure on WBBM's "At Issue" program on Sunday Mar. 12 at 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.