Quinn vows coming construction season will be biggest 'of all time in Illinois'

By BARB ICKES - Lee News Service Writer
Lee News Service/Larry Fisher
Posted: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 4:01 am

MOLINE - Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn vowed to make the upcoming construction season the biggest "of all time in Illinois" during a touch-down Monday at the Quad-City International Airport in Moline, where he introduced the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.

Sheila Simon, the daughter of the late U.S. senator from Illinois, Paul Simon, will join Quinn on the ticket in his bid for election to a full term as governor.

The pair told a crowd of several dozen local Democrats and party supporters - along with a half-dozen anti-Quinn sign-bearers - they have known each other more than 25 years and have big plans for federal stimulus dollars and for repairing an ailing state economy.

"It's an honor to be on a ticket with this guy," Simon said of Quinn. "This is a man who I really trust. My folks taught me to value people by what they do for other people, not themselves."

She cited pension reform as an example of unpopular politics that must be accomplished "to get our budget in order."

The two will face off against Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady, a state senator from Bloomington, and his running mate, Jason Plummer of Edwardsville. Rich Whitney is the Green Party candidate, and his running mate is Don W. Crawford.

Quinn said Simon joins him in his priority of creating jobs in the state, including the 3,000 he said will result from the federal government's acquisition of the maximum-security prison at Thomson.

"The Rock Island Lines is coming back," he also vowed, referring to rail service between Chicago and the Quad-Cities.

"We believe in putting people to work," the governor added. "Together, we're going to make the will of the people the law of the land."

He said Simon's parents were his role models "on how to conduct myself."

"Sheila Simon has a servant's heart," he said. "We believe in grass-roots democracy."

During introductions of Quinn and Simon, state Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, applauded the governor for his fearlessness in tackling a debt-ravaged state budget by advocating for a state income-tax increase.

Jacobs said he and the governor often disagree but said of the proposed tax increase, "Do you know how hard that is in an election year?"

After leaving Moline, Quinn and Simon were making three similar stops, including Carbondale, which is Simon's hometown, where she is a law professor.