Greg Hinz in Crain’s breaks news of a possible deal for $3 billion in state infrastructure bonds, funded largely by growing gas tax receipts. The state requires Republican support since bonds need a 60% supermajority in the General Assembly, so the plan is naturally to buy Republican votes with gold-plated suburban roads.

bq. The unofficial chief negotiator in the continuing talks, House Transportation Committee Chairman Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville, met late in December with Mr. [Frank] Watson [R-Greenville] and is expected to meet soon with House GOP Leader Tom Cross of Oswego. Inevitably, most of the road money will be spent in GOP areas Downstate and in the Chicago suburbs, he says.