State Rep. Tom Weber said the work agreement on the I-88, I-290 and I-294 interchange was given to a company from out of state, even though state law gives preference to Illinois companies bidding up to 4 percent higher. The tollway agency realized the error and switched to the Illinois company after work on the project began, resulting in higher labor expenses and legal costs, Weber said.
“In a statement to The Center Square, an Illinois State Toll Highway Authority spokesman said that the work performed by the initial contractor included about $15 million for construction already performed, which the agency would have been required to pay even if the contract had been retained.
“The total amount of additional costs paid by the Tollway regarding this contract amounts to nearly $27 million,” the statement said.”
Is that all? Just a trifling $27 million? I don’t understand what the fuss is about. Let’s give these future Illinois state pensioners another $1.5 billion forthwith! Accountability is overrated.
A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.
“In a statement to The Center Square, an Illinois State Toll Highway Authority spokesman said that the work performed by the initial contractor included about $15 million for construction already performed, which the agency would have been required to pay even if the contract had been retained.
“The total amount of additional costs paid by the Tollway regarding this contract amounts to nearly $27 million,” the statement said.”
Is that all? Just a trifling $27 million? I don’t understand what the fuss is about. Let’s give these future Illinois state pensioners another $1.5 billion forthwith! Accountability is overrated.