Illinois is more than $1 billion in debt and now the Illinois Department of Transportation wants to more than double a $1 million advertising contract.

Seriously?

The Chicago-based firm Danielle Ashley Advertising aims to receive about $2.4 million to promote reconstruction of the Dan Ryan and Kingery expressways. Not only would the money be poorly spent, but the whole deal is suspicious. The advertising company and its owner have donated more than $37,000 to the governor, senate president and other democrats, as reported in a Feb. 24 article in the Chicago Sun-Times.

Of course, no one will admit politics has anything to do with the decision to outrageously increase the Danielle Ashley Advertising contract.

Instead, IDOT claims the state has “grossly underestimated” the amount of advertising and communication needed to promote the road work. Never mind that IDOT had to lay off 45 people last year.

Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest) said it well in a Sun-Times article.

“We’re cutting back everywhere we can,” she said. “And yet we have enough money to spend almost $2.4 million on what? Communicating with local residents about construction on the Dan Ryan?”

If the construction project is good, then it shouldn’t need such extensive and expensive promotion. Schools, for example, could definitely use more money. But the current administration has shown over and over that it worries more about its image than about doing any real good in the state.

State money should not be going to this outrageously expensive (and possibly crooked) advertising deal.

Agree? Disagree? Contact us at [email protected].