Governor proposes Illinois Fairs Foundation to help Du Quoin

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner Wednesday morning was joined by acting Director of Agriculture Raymond Poe and Southern Illinois legislators on the grounds of the Du Quoin State Fair to show his support for an Illinois Fairs Foundation bill (HB4990/SB2903).

The bill--which has bipartisan support but has not been brought to the floor by house speaker Michael Madigan--creates a foundation allowing corporate and private donors to support and maintain fair buildings and grounds in Du Quoin and Springfield.

Both men say no one can remember the last time a capital repair program was put in place to renovate buildings.

The governor said there are $180 million in repairs that need to be addressed. Ag director Poe offered one very real capital problem. "There are 120 roofs at these two fairgrounds that need to be replaced."

On Monday, Du Quoin Mayor Guy Alongi will propose to his city council the utilization of a 5 percent entertainment "ticket tax" that was passed years ago and a fee on vendors at the fair with revenues being divided 50-50 between the city and the fair.

Mayor Alongi fully discussed his proposal with the Du Quoin Evening Call this week, citing the city's experiences with the state this past year alone.

The state currently owes the city over $50,000. There are still vendors that have not been paid from last year's fair. The city late last year contributed $500 toward the purchase of brighter lighting in the Southern Illinois Center and another $2,000 for diesel fuel after the fair's account with Farm Service was cut off because of failure to pay its bill.

Every year the fair costs the city untold thousands of dollars for police security and cleanup after events like the Street Machine Nationals, with only the promoters--never the city--benefitting from these events.

What Mayor Alongi is proposing is the reconstitution of a 5 percent entertainment tax on ticketing for shows and events at the fair that was passed by the city council when Alongi served as finance commissioner years ago. It was criticized by former fair manager Ron Summers under the Gov. Jim Edgar administration as potentially detrimental to attendance at the fair. Obviously, the "ticket tax" saw no daylight when the late John Rednour served as mayor and his son served as Du Quoin State Fair manager.

The Alongi proposal will also extend a $25 to $40 vendor fee currently imposed on concessionaires who set up food and special event stands in the city to the 300 vendors who set up on the fairgrounds during the Du Quoin State Fair. "It is only fair to the local vendors that everyone be treated equally," he said.

The mayor is asking for the advice and consent of council members to invoke these two measures using the city's Home Rule powers.

The mayor has done the math and believes that collectively they could generate $50,000 a year. The revenues would be placed in a restricted account and the funds would be controlled by the city, yet could be accessed by the fair.

" As an example, the street on the north side of the fairgrounds is in terrible shape. If the fair needed to oil and chip that street and the cost was, say, $9,000 they could get the money out of that fund," he said.

The city would use its share of the money to cover fair-related costs and the fair would use its share of the money for emergencies and spot repairs as was the case in replacing lights at the Southern Illinois Center for the Special Olympics softball tournament in January or to buy fuel, the mayor said.

He adds that the entertainment tax and the vendor fee are NOT a new profit center for the fair, but simply covers the costs of the city's relationship with the fair.

The mayor said he would first seek the council's support, and then sort out the dynamics of it with the Illinois Department of Agriculture director and the manager of the Illinois fairs in Du Quoin and Springfield.

At the state level, Gov. Rauner said Wednesday morning, "The Illinois and Du Quoin State Fairs are vitally important to our agriculture community and the local economies of both cities. By creating a private foundation, companies and citizens will be able to donate directly to the fair to help maintain the grounds without any additional burden on the state."

He said nearly every neighboring state to Illinois has established foundations with the purpose of accepting private funds for their state fairs or fairgrounds. Similar measures have been introduced in the Illinois General Assembly for a number of years, but failed to advance.

"Fairground foundations are not a new concept and Illinois companies are donating money to those out-of-state foundations. We should be doing everything we can to keep that money in our state for our fairs," said Raymond Poe, acting Director of Agriculture. "I sponsored legislation like this during my time in the House of Representatives, and I'm pleased to see my former colleagues continue to fight for it."

The governor said currently more than $180 million in deferred maintenance are needed at both the Springfield and Du Quoin fairgrounds. Many buildings are in need of significant repairs, including roof replacements and grandstand renovations in Du Quoin. One reporter said he understood there is a proposal being talked about to replace the Du Quoin grandstand. The governor would only go so far as to say it is an historic building that needs a renovation.

"A state fair foundation will be a step forward to helping revitalize the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds with its resurgence and in doing so make it the preeminent agricultural showcase in Southern Illinois," Sen. David Luechtefeld (R-Okawville) said. "

The long, rich history of the fairgrounds has been a summer staple for thousands of families throughout our region and is critical to local tourism efforts. Du Quoin, Perry County and the surrounding counties stand to benefit economically from a stronger Du Quoin State Fair."

"I am proud to serve as a chief co-sponsor of the Fair Foundation bill in the House," Rep. Teri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) said. "As I urge my colleagues to quickly pass this bill, I am reminded of my own experiences enjoying the state fair in Du Quoin. In tough budget times like these, the ability to raise private funds to preserve and maintain this jewel of my district will ensure that the proud tradition of the Du Quoin State Fair will live on."

"The Du Quoin State Fair is an economic engine for the city and Southern Illinois," Du Quoin Mayor guy Alongi said. "By improving and upgrading the infrastructure at the fairgrounds, the region will be able to attract even more events, which will have a positive ripple effect across the community."

Also in attendance during the press conference were newly named assistant fair manager Tibretta Reiman and Illinois house Democrats Rep. Jerry Costello II of Smithton and Rep. Charlie Meir of Okawville.