Du Quoin Seeks $20 Million From Delta Regional Authority
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Du Quoin Board of Education is taking its case for new school funding straight to the federal government.
The Du Quoin Board of Education has signed of on a federal stimulus package funding application prepared by Du Quoin Community Unit Dist. 300 superintendent Dr. Gary Kelly and staff.
Absent the $10 million sought six years ago from the Illinois Capital Development Board, the school board has answered a call for potential projects from the Delta Regional Authority, a federal clearinghouse for capital development funding. Kelly told the newspaper the call was for any credible capital construction projects that "could be ready to go in six months," according to Kelly.
Six years ago Du Quoin bought into the now-failed promise of $10 million in funding for a new Du Quoin High School. It would be matched by $3 million in local funding through a half-cent sales tax.
As of 2008, the estimated cost of the new school has now climbed to $17.5 million and the pricetag continues to climb. Du Quoin's application for $20 million would fund the entire school and hedge against inflation. Even if Du Quoin would get the original $10 million, the planned new high school becomes do-able again with the local match.
The U.S. House has approved one version of the $820 billion stimulus package. The senate should vote next week.
The Congressional Budget Office said the economy would feel the effects of almost two-thirds of the money over the next year and a half. The administration claims 75 percent of the funding would be absorbed in that period of time, and Obama has pledged that the bill he signs will meet that target and either save or create up to 4 million jobs.
The White House bill includes about $550 billion in spending and $250 billion in tax cuts.
Much of the funding in the Democratic bill is ticketed for health care and education including new school construction, as well as money to weatherize buildings and build highways and other transportation projects.