An Elgin Transportation Campus?
The distinguished North Central College (Naperville, Illinois) political science professor, Dr. David Frolick, was fond of saying, “Sooner or later it all boils down to money.” How true it is as the State of Illinois grapples with its budget woes.
One could easily amend Dr. Frolick’s statement by adding that real estate can become an important component in the money equation. Illinois will feel the need to dramatically improve its balance sheet by consolidating facilities and selling off others.
The state might first look at the existing site of the Secretary of State’s Drivers Facility in Elgin and the nearby State Police District Headquarters and begin to develop a transportation campus that would bring many of the state’s transportation related agencies together.
The antiquated pace bus facility in downtown Elgin could be brought up to date and moved to such a campus. Not long ago, the Air Team emissions test facility was closed down in neighboring South Elgin. Why not include such a facility on a transportation campus? Perhaps the City of Elgin and neighboring communities could institute a traffic court on the campus to adjudicate traffic violations and snafus.
It is important for the state to consider consolidating various facilities and agencies to create economies of scale and establish some synergy. An Elgin transportation campus might be one way of accomplishing that.
Beyond such money saving consolidation, the state should look into other areas to squeeze out money savings from its vast real estate dealings and holdings. Sell a few state parks, privatize a few universities, and sell off underutilized state buildings as well as land. The state should also complete a top to bottom analysis of its leasehold interests to save additional funds.
Yes indeed it does “all boil down to money”. And Real Estate is a major part of the overall budget. If Illinois is serious about tackling its money problems, then it can at least start by examining creative ways to bring its real estate holdings to their highest and best use. It might begin by developing a transportation campus in Elgin.
