Waste of the Day: Illinois Subsidizes State Fair
Topline: Admission to the Illinois State Fair costs only $5 most days of the week, and it’s no wonder the price is so low. Taxpayers funded the fair with $140.8 million in subsidies.
Illinois Agriculture Director Jerry Costello revealed in an Aug. 7 press conference that Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan to “make the fair affordable” included $55.3 million from the state Department of Agriculture and $85.5 million from the Rebuild Illinois infrastructure fund.
Key facts: The money from the Department of Agriculture helped pay for a new coliseum, repaved roads and restroom renovations, Pritzker said.
Pritzker said this year’s fair generated an $86 million economic impact for the region, but it’s unclear why the subsidies were necessary to reach that goal. The fair also had an $86 million impact in 2016, when state funding was reduced due to Illinois' budget crisis.
Critics have railed against subsidies for the fair long before they were quite so expensive. The Illinois Policy Institute found that, between 2001 and 2009, the Illinois State Fair and the nearby DuQuoin State Fair lost a combined $42 million, with taxpayers covering the difference. The 1993 statute that governs the state fair’s funding was supposed to force the fair to break even and prevent state subsidies, according to the Illinois Policy Institute.
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Supporting quote: State Fair Manager Rebecca Clark explained, “Family budgets are tight. And that's why we've done everything we can to ensure that families who walk through these gates can create lasting memories without breaking the bank.”
Critical quote: Chris Andriesen, senior vice president at the Illinois Policy Institute, wrote, “While turning a profit may not be the purpose of the state fairs, it is unacceptable for the state fairs to lose millions of dollars each year. Fairs should not have the luxury of spending more than they take in when the burden is on the backs of the taxpayers.”
Summary: The theme of this year’s state fair is “adventure awaits,” but what will be awaiting Illinois residents will be a higher tax bill.
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