Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes the South Suburban Airport Authority to oversee the planing and development of an airport in Will County.

Highlights:

- Authorizes the Authority to plan, finance, develop, construct, equip, own, expand, make improvements to, and secure permits, licenses, and approvals for the South Suburban Airport (Secs. 2-15 & 6-5). - Establishes a Board of Directors consisting of seven members that are appointed within 60 days of the bill's enactment and certified by the Secretary of State and Secretary of the Authority. The members will be appointed as follows [sec. 4-5 (a-c)]:

- Four are appointed by the Will County Executive, including the Chairman of the Board, with the advice and consent of the Will County Board; - One is appointed collectively by the municipalities of Beecher, Crete, Monee, Peotone, and University Park; - One is appointed by the Governor, upon the recommendation of the Cook County Township Supervisors; and - One is appointed by the Chairman of the Kankakee County Board, with the advice and consent of the Kankakee County Board.

- Compensates Board members $10,000 per year, subject to inflation (Sec. 4-20). - Prohibits government officers and employees and elected officials from serving on the Board of Directors [sec. 4-35 (a)]. - Prohibits county and municipal employees, as well as their spouses and children, from having any monetary interest in any contract that will be satisfied using the funding provided by the Authority, with some exceptions (Sec. 4-35 & 4-40). - Entrusts the Board of Directors with controlling the finances of the Authority, which includes creating budgets, entering into contracts, imposing fees or charges, engaging consultants and professional advisors, borrowing money, and issuing bonds (Sec. 7-5). - Requires all contractors and subcontractors appointed by the Authority to participate in apprenticeship and training programs approved by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training [sec. 7-25 (e) (2)]. - Authorizes the Authority to levy a facility charge on passengers and any other fee that is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration or other U.S. Government agency (Sec. 7-30). - Authorizes the Authority to acquire land and property, including through the use of eminent domain, that is necessary to establish and maintain the South Suburban Airport (Secs. 6-10, 6-20, & 6-40). - Exempts the Authority and all of its property and operations from any form of taxation (Sec. 9-10).

Full Bill Text