Executive Report Buy American' steel The Illinois Department of Transportation reinstated its "Buy American" clause on structural steel purchase contracts for one year effective in June. The measure, ordered by Gov. James R. Thompson, aims to protect Illinois steelworkers and the steel industry from unfair competition by foreign countries, especially in the upcoming construction of major state bridges in Pekin, Ottawa, Peoria and Metro-East St. Louis. (Structural steel is not affected by federal protection measures.) However, the governor slammed Democratic candidate Michael J.Bakalis' suggestion that all state contracts be "Buy-American." He said Illinois leads the nation in industrial and agricultural exports and an estimated 250,000 jobs are directly dependent on foreign trade. Illinois Items The Illinois Department of Labor announced in June an increase of $11.07 in the statewide average weekly wage. Computed twice a year, the wage rose this time from $230.05 to $241.12. The increase means a hike in maximum unemployment benefits for some workers and an increase in worker's compensation benefits for others. A six-member investigating team in the Department of Revenue is trying to root out fraud in the state's $105 million Circuit Breaker program which gives sales and property tax relief to elderly people on low incomes. The team will work with the Department of Law Enforcement and with state's attorneys throughout Illinois. There have already been several criminal prosecutions for circuit breaker fraud in Cook County. A new drug substitution program went into effect across the state in June. Under the program, a pharmacist can substitute a cheaper generic drug if both the doctor and the patient consent and if the drug is listed in the Illinois "Formulary." New prescription forms indicate whether a doctor authorizes substitution, and the formulary — a list of drugs considered safe for substitution — has been sent by the Illinois Department of Public Health to all physicians and pharmacists in the state. The program, approved by the General Assembly last fall, does not affect hospitals and institutions, most of which have their own drug purchase programs, and it does not change the already permitted practice of writing a prescription for the generic name of a drug rather than a brand name. Thirteen rural counties received $394,647 in grants from the Illinois Area wide Project, a demonstration housing and community development program administered by the Department of Local Government Affairs. The project lets small towns compete among themselves for funds instead of being pitted against larger communities. The grants— mostly from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — were for sewage and water system improvements. A $25.4 million Interstate 57 bridge over the Mississippi River at Cairo was officially opened June 23. The bridge will prevent holiday traffic congestion and allow uninterrupted travel between Chicago and New Orleans via Interstates 55 and 57. Construction was supervised by the Illinois Department of Transportation. The federal government paid 90 per cent of the cost with Illinois and Missouri sharing the remainder. 1978 is the year of the bugs. Illinois farmers who had serious problems with cutworms early in the summer are now facing the worst infestation of corn borers since the 1950's, according to University of Illinois entomologists. Worst areas are early planted fields along the Mississippi, but the borers have spread to Central Illinois, and so far only the northeastern section of the state has escaped. Entomologists are also predicting worse than usual outbreaks of corn leaf aphids and corn rootworm beatles later in the summer. August 1978/Illinois Issues/31
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