Open Spaces In the News

Illinois lawmakers, mired in the dysfunctional relations between Gov. Rod Blagojevich and top legislative leaders, are already more than a month past the deadline for adjournment of the General Assembly. The governor last week called for a special session to begin today, which angered lawmakers who planned to be away from the Capitol for a week.

There are, of course, many important issues on the table -- mass transit, health care pension reform and school funding top the list -- and the state's leaders appear nowhere near any kind of resolutions on key items. It could take much of the summer to approve anything more than a temporary state budget.

While we're all waiting, The Star would like to call attention to legislative initiatives designed to preserve open space in Illinois.

The Illinois Special Places Acquisition, Conservation and Enhancement program (iSPACE) would protect Illinois natural areas and open spaces for generations to come. A Joint Senate Resolution approved by both houses of the legislature last week asks for $100 million a year in new funding to protect open space as part of any capital program in the state.

When the General Assembly finally does adopt a budget, a funding level needs to be set for two Illinois Department of Natural Resources programs that provide matching funds to park districts and other agencies that provide land for public use.

The two programs, commonly known by the acronyms OSLAD and NAAF, have a dedicated funding source that comes from real estate transfer taxes. But proponents of green space acquisition and preservation say the funding levels for the program need to be set higher.

We believe legislators should act so that these green space initiatives can move forward. Illinois has been without a capital program for green space acquisition since 2003; if the legislative leaders can craft a capital program this year, there should be room for iSPACE so that this state -- which ranks nationally near the bottom in terms of land set aside for open space -- can work with local communities to save land that might otherwise be developed.

In the past few years, money collected for OSLAD through the real estate transfer tax has been greater than the amount allocated for recreational programs. Green space proponents say there is enough in the next fiscal year to allocate $36 million for OSLAD projects but House Speaker Michael Madigan's proposed budget, approved at the end of May, would only allocate $24 million for projects. We think the program should be fully funded in the state budget so there is enough for projects at sites like Sears Park in Alsip, Pocket Park in Oak Lawn, the Island Prairie Nature Center in Frankfort Square, Walsh Westgate Park in Palos Heights and Bremen Heights Park in Midlothian. They are all waiting for funding through OSLAD.

Our Southland needs to preserve land right now. That's especially true in growing areas where the price of land is soaring and local communities need help purchasing open space.

Again, we have no idea when state leaders will be able to put aside their differences to come up with a new budget for Illinois.

We do know, however, that preserving open space is a worthy goal and that these programs are worthy of support.