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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION 1088
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2 | WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has a strategic interest in | ||||||
3 | the operations of the Illinois International Port District and | ||||||
4 | its Board, whose function is to develop the District's port and | ||||||
5 | harbor facilities, issue construction permits, regulate the | ||||||
6 | District's facilities and waterways, establish and operate | ||||||
7 | foreign trade zones, and govern and administer all the District | ||||||
8 | area within Chicago's corporate limits; and
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9 | WHEREAS, The City of Chicago aims to revitalize the Port of | ||||||
10 | Chicago; in 2010, cargo shipments at the Port of Chicago | ||||||
11 | directly or indirectly supported 6,930 jobs and generated | ||||||
12 | $425,000,000 in revenue for Illinois firms, according to the | ||||||
13 | Washington D.C.-based American Great Lakes Ports Association; | ||||||
14 | and
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15 | WHEREAS, The Port of Chicago links rail and trucking lines | ||||||
16 | with barges and ships supplying the Great Lakes and nearby | ||||||
17 | rivers; the port handles an estimated 26,000,000 cargo tons | ||||||
18 | annually throughout its 1,500 acre complex on the far south | ||||||
19 | side, according to a recent estimate by a consortium of Great | ||||||
20 | Lakes shipping interests; and
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21 | WHEREAS, Chicago is the 7th largest U.S. Customs district | ||||||
22 | for imports and exports in the country; the U.S. Army Corps of |
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1 | Engineers ranks Illinois as the 5th highest state for all | ||||||
2 | waterborne commerce in 2009 by tonnage; the Great Lakes is | ||||||
3 | considered "America's Fourth Coast"; and
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4 | WHEREAS, Although the Illinois International Port District | ||||||
5 | Board has operated the port since the 1950s, there have been no | ||||||
6 | major dockside improvements in 30 years; in 2011, half of the | ||||||
7 | District's revenue originated with the 2 golf courses on the | ||||||
8 | District's land, while the other half originated from fees paid | ||||||
9 | by freight companies, according to Crain's Chicago Business; | ||||||
10 | and
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11 | WHEREAS, The State of Illinois, the City of Chicago, and | ||||||
12 | the entire Midwest economy need a major change in the | ||||||
13 | operations of the Illinois International Port District; and | ||||||
14 | WHEREAS, The Chairman of the Illinois International Port | ||||||
15 | District Board has requested that the Auditor General conduct | ||||||
16 | an audit as described below; therefore, be it
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17 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
18 | NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
19 | the Auditor General is directed to conduct a management audit | ||||||
20 | of the Illinois International Port District to examine the | ||||||
21 | operations and management of the district and to report the | ||||||
22 | findings to the Illinois General Assembly; and be it further
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1 | RESOLVED, That the Illinois International Port District | ||||||
2 | and the Illinois International Port District Board fully | ||||||
3 | cooperate with the audit and turn over any materials requested | ||||||
4 | by the Auditor General; and be it further | ||||||
5 | RESOLVED, That the Auditor General shall submit a bill to | ||||||
6 | the Illinois International Port District for costs associated | ||||||
7 | with the review with the management audit; the Illinois | ||||||
8 | International Port District shall reimburse the Auditor | ||||||
9 | General for such costs in a timely manner; and be it further | ||||||
10 | RESOLVED, That the Auditor General is further directed to | ||||||
11 | commence this audit as soon as possible and, upon completion, | ||||||
12 | distribute a report in accordance with Section 3-14 of the | ||||||
13 | Illinois State Auditing Act; and be it further | ||||||
14 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
15 | delivered to the Auditor General and to all 4 legislative | ||||||
16 | leaders of the Illinois General Assembly.
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