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The state of Build Illinois

The public has a right to feel confused about Build Illinois,the $2.3-billion, five-year massive public works program unveiledlast year by Gov. Thompson.

Last week, the media carried accounts of Thompson slashing BuildIllinois funds; a day later, gubernatorial hopeful Adlai E.Stevenson III said Build Illinois was falling apart because "themoney isn't there to fund all these projects."

A bit of history might shed some light on the program.

Last March, Thompson submitted his state budget draft for fiscal1987, calling for new Build Illinois appropriations of $295 million.Before adjourning this summer, the General Assembly passed BuildIllinois appropriations nearly 50 percent higher, at $435 million.

This week, Thompson sliced $73 million from the program fattenedby the Legislature. What remained was $362 million, which still wassome 22 percent higher than his initial proposal.

From a different perspective, news stories could have taken thetack that the governor allowed this year's Build Illinoisappropriation to grow one-fifth larger than he proposed only fivemonths ago. But the other thrust, that he slashed the funds, was notinaccurate.

Statutory funding for Build Illinois prevents spending in excessof available resources. The recent cuts did not stem from newestimates of revenue shortfalls; they were made to reach a level ofspending that is closer to what the administration all along hadanticipated in revenue tagged for this program.

In that light, Stevenson's charge that the money isn't there isabsolutely true. The money is not there - and no one ever said it would be there - topay for most of the $140 million in pork with which legislatorslarded the appropriation.

Stevenson's criticism went further, however. He charged thatonly 12 percent of last year's $380-million Build Illinoisappropriation has been spent. Thompson's authorization this week of$280 million in capital construction from the 1986 funds seems tovalidate Stevenson's contention of a slow start.

Two more points need to be made, and both relate to charges thatChicago is getting the short end of Build Illinois.

This week's cuts were dictated by recommendations given Thompsonby the four principal legislative leaders. He asked the Democraticand Republican leaders of the Senate and House to submit a list ofprojects they favored most within known budgetary constraints. Thegovernor honored their requests.

What emerged indeed slighted Chicago, to the benefit ofsurrounding areas. But that should be weighed in the context of thetwo years of approved funding. Totaling the 1986 and 1987appropriations, Chicago - with far less population than themulti-county suburban fringe - has gotten 9.2 percent of BuildIllinois projects; the suburbs have gotten 9.4 percent.

No other segment of the state comes near those levels. Nearly60 percent of the two-year funding has been for statewide projectsnot definable by geography.

Is Build Illinois in bad shape?

Obviously, everyone would like to spend more to get more done.But there's no credible evidence that the program is collapsing. Eschewing tobacco chewing

When many of us were growing up, years ago, tobacco chewing wasconsidered to be a foul, dirty and offensive habit. It still is, butthanks to modern advertising techniques, it has assumed a certainappeal, especially for young people.

That's too bad, because what has become increasingly apparentabout the use of chewing tobacco and snuff is that it, too, is adangerous habit.

So it's gratifying to see the Illinois branch of the American Cancer Society produce its own advertisingcampaign pointing out those dangers, especially to young people.

The campaign pulls no punches. One print ad, for example, showsthe lower half of the cancer-ravaged face of a smokeless tobaccouser, who has since died.

Perhaps some people will be offended by the raw truth. Moreimportant, though, perhaps some lives will be saved. Protecting winged beauty

The dispatches from Mexico have been routinely dreary.Earthquakes. Debt. Unemployment. Drugs.

But there is good news, too. Lovely news.

Mexico has agreed to protect the winter sheltering grounds ofthe monarch butterfly. The endangered fir forests will now be off-limits to saws and axes so that the butterflies can continue tocolonize there after their annual flight south.

About 100 million of them do. That is a lot of gentle beauty.It's the smiles of 100 million children. It's 100 million grown-upfrowns disappearing one by one.

It's Mexico's gift. Gracias. An anchorman's final scene

Goodbye, Ted. It won't be the same without you, if you get mymeaning.

Heh, heh. So long, Lou, old buddy.

We'll miss your brain, Ted.

I'll just bet you will, Murray.

Another man leaving? Oh,dear!

Calm yourself, Sue Ann.

Well, Ted, it's been . . . words fail me.

That Rhoda. Always knows the right thing to say.

As Lars was saying, it's like losing Walter Cronkite.

Right on, Phyllis.

Ted, we're going to miss you. I mean really, really missyou. I mean really, really, really -

- That's all right, Mare. Know what you mean. And goodbyeto the rest of you - oh, you, too, Georgette. Loved you all. Almostas much as myself. Wonder if there's a Cronkite where I'm going.