Illinois legislator slams $500k line item for closed college as ‘banner of incompetence’

Illinois legislators are raising concerns over a $500,000 budget item for Lincoln College, a private school that shut down in 2022.

The earmark, added in a 2018 capital bill by then-state Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, was never funded but continues to appear in the budget each year because it’s still written into state law.

Critics call the situation “a banner of incompetence,” highlighting how such outdated line items can clutter the budget and fuel worries about mismanagement or misuse of taxpayer money.

State Sen. Sally Turner’s district included the Lincoln College facility.

“If the money is legally designated for that purpose, it can’t be used for anything else,” said Turner, R-Beason. “We have to request the release of funds, and then they’re supposed to release it. But that often doesn’t happen because the money isn’t available. They didn’t bond for it. It all depends on the governor’s office approving the release; it’s not up to the [Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity] to decide. Only once approved can the DCEO distribute the funds.”

State Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton, whose district included Lincoln College, said lawmakers get only hours to review thousands of budget pages, leading to billions spent with little oversight under the Democratic supermajority.

“It’s curious that legislators keep giving more power to the executive branch through growing slush funds,” said Hauter. “Executive authority is being expanded beyond its proper role, bypassing the legislative process. Illinois budgets increasingly include slush funds for the governor to spend at will, with money constantly moved around—making oversight and accountability nearly impossible.”

With Lincoln College and Lincoln Christian University closed, and Logan Correctional Center possibly closing soon, the town faces major economic losses. Turner said the funds could support local redevelopment like the Lincoln Developmental Center, but only if lawmakers legally repurpose the money.

“It's not up to me to call for the money that had been placed in the budget in 2018 by another senator. And now that entity doesn't exist anymore,” said Turner.

Hauter said the error reflects deeper problems in Springfield.

“We’ve been raising concerns for years about where state money is going,” Hauter said. “The governor has created multiple slush funds that he controls, and we’ve repeatedly asked where that money is actually being spent. In my view, it’s being funneled into things like health care for illegal immigrants, welcome centers in Chicago, or even abortion services for out-of-state residents, basically whatever they want to hide.”

Hypothetically if the governor’s office released the funds to the DCEO for that line item, Hauter expressed interest saying, “we’ll use it for Lincoln College.”

“We’ll create an economic opportunity zone at the shuttered Lincoln College,” Hauter said. “They did include money in the budget to renovate the Lincoln Developmental Center and put in infrastructure to help develop the area, and that’s a good thing. But this line item for Lincoln College? It’s basically a banner that says ‘incompetent.’”