AROUND THE STATEHOUSE

Lege May Consider More Money For MEG

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Jan. 5 (UPI) - A state senator from the Chicago
suburbs wants the Illinois General Assembly to approve an extra $1
million for special law enforcement units that focus on illegal drug
use.

State Sen. Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete, said today she thinks more money
is justified for Metropolitan Enforcement Group units in Cook County
and other regions of Illinois.

MEG units combine resources of local, county and state police forces
to create teams that focus on drug sales, often using undercover
officers to root out drug-related crimes.

But the Illinois State Police is cutting the number of officers it
contributes to MEG in the Chicago area, saying it can no longer afford
to provide them.

Other MEG units in DuPage and Lake counties, Peoria, Danville,
Carbondale, Belleville, Joliet and the Quad Cities also face financial
problems, and could be forced to shut down if they cannot find
additional funding.

Halvorson, who recently sent a letter to state police acting Director
Gene Marlin asking him to reconsider the cut, says she thinks the
units are important enough to justify additional state funding.

``We need every tool available to fight drug pushers,'' she said.
``MEG is unique because it battles the drug problem right where it
counts, on the streets.''

Halvorson cited police statistics showing MEG units made more than 240
arrests during 1998 and seized illegal drugs with street values of
more than $100 million.

Halvorson is working to get other legislators behind her cause,
although none are yet backing her. Additional funding for MEG units
could be considered by the General Assembly during the spring. ---

HASTERT: Gov.-elect George Ryan and outgoing Gov. Jim Edgar were among
the officials present in Washington to watch favorite son J. Dennis
Hastert sworn in as speaker of the U.S. House.

Both were present at a reception honoring Hastert, a congressman from
Yorkville. Ryan also planned to stay Wednesday to watch the actual
inauguration of a new Congress.

Hastert is only the third House speaker this century, and the first in
more than six decades, to come from Illinois. Chicago Mayor Richard
Daley also was in Washington for the ceremonies. ---

APPOINTMENTS: Gov.-elect George Ryan will appoint Scott Fawell to be
director of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, the state
agency that monitors Navy Pier and McCormick Place in Chicago.

Fawell's post will take effect Feb. 1. Fawell, 41, is a former chief
of staff to Ryan in the Illinois secretary of state's office who also
was manager for Ryan's successful gubernatorial campaign. ---

HOUSING: The Illinois House Development Authority is approving $4.2
million in funding for 27 projects providing repairs to homes owned by
low-income people.

The federal Single Family Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation program
provided the money to the state, which will lend it to various
projects that will help repair 182 homes throughout western and
southeastern Illinois. Loans are offered to people with incomes at or
below 80 percent of the area median. (Compiled by Gregory Tejeda)