State loans to help pay for ash tree costs

Help in the form of state loans will be available to communities facing significant costs to remove and replace ash trees killed by the emerald ash borer.

A provision in a Senate bill signed this past week by Gov. Pat Quinn authorizes the Illinois Finance Authority to issue low- or no-interest loans of up to $5 million to communities, according to state Sen. Michael Hastings (D-Orland Hills). An amendment creating the revolving loan program was tacked on to a bill introduced by Hastings concerning capital improvements and real estate leases at state universities… Please click here to read Mike Nolan’s full story in the Herald-News.