Republican lawmakers are calling attention to state spending they say looks suspicious as it comes on the heels of a federal investigation into a now-defunct anti-violence program Governor Pat Quinn rolled out just before his last campaign.
Tucked inside Illinois' new budget is a line for $20 million, earmarked to the Department of Labor, the law says it's "for grants to state and local agencies and community providers for at-risk community support programs, after school programs and youth employment opportunities."
It's raised the eyebrows of Republicans like Sen. Jason Barickman of Bloomington, who says that closely mirrors the maligned Neighborhood Recovery Initiative. Barickman says he wants details on how this new stream of money's being spent.
"And we need the governor to quit spending money on program for which we don't think are working."
Quinn's office says so far, more than half has been transferred for a different agency, for youth job training, and that's something the GOP should get behind. But it's hardly the only line item in the budget that's broad.
The budget, which Quinn signed, though perhaps reluctantly, and which no Republicans supported, has lots of "lump sums" that give the governor the freedom, or the responsibility, to do with as he chooses.
