By Howard Packowitz

Gov. Bruce Rauner touted the new state budget during his visit Thursday to Illinois State University, noting it includes $62 million to modernize and rebuild ISU’s College of Fine Arts.

Rauner said it’s only the start of the investments he wants to make in higher education. It would be part of a masssive capital bill that even his Republican ally, Bloomington State Rep. Dan Brady said would be difficult to accomplish in the Democratic controlled legislature.

“I’m going to work my tail off,” said the governor.

“Somewhere in the next six to nine months, I’ll give myself nine months, I want a massive new capital bill, new capital program for the State of Illinois, and I want significant new investments in our education, higher institutions,” he said.

Rauner said his goal is to keep students and faculty in Illinois to help the area’s economy.

“Helping our students start companies, helping our faculty start companies, and make it easy, streamline with funding, with resources, with incubators and with the tech talent pool to tap right here so we get Normal and Bloomington booming with entrepreneurship,” the governor said.

Rauner, who’s seeking election to a second term, said his plans for higher education are similar to what he hailed as the “historic transformation” of the state funding formula for primary and secondary education.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected].