Money owed Du Quoin on its way?

Checks may finally be in the mail for Du Quoin, Pinckneyville and other communities and counties across the state who are owed motor fuel tax and video gaming revenues dating back to the start of the budget deadlock last July.

Municipal leaders across the state , including Du Quoin Mayor Guy Alongi, applaud the Illinois House for passing SB 2039 (Rep. Currie), which could pave the way for the Senate to deliver hundreds of millions of dollars the state owes municipalities.

"When the bill is approved by the Senate and signed into law by the Governor, municipalities will finally have the much needed relief to make ends meet with this crucial funding," said Brad Cole, former Carbondale mayor and executive director of the Illinois Municipal League. "There is an urgency to have these funds distributed as rapidly as possible."

Du Quoin is owed between $50,000 and $75,000 in motor fuel tax revenues and a $56,000 local share of video gaming revenue.

"To be honest, we don't live off the video gaming money," said Alongi Thursday. "Some of that money will go into the swimming pool restoration next summer," he said.

"This probably hasn't crunched us like some places," he said. "As far as municipalities being held hostage it looks like it is going to put this to bed."

The state owes the City of Pinckneyville approximately $12,000 in video gaming revenue and another $48,000 in motor fuel tax revenue.

If SB 2039 is signed into law, hundreds of millions of dollars would be allocated to fund the following areas of importance to local governments:

• $582 million for Motor Fuel Tax Fund payments to be used for road improvements

• $340 million in Use Tax payments

• $154 million to 911 centers

• $145 million to municipalities where casinos and video gaming is allowed