The General Assembly hereby finds, determines and declares:
(a)that there are a number of existing State authorities authorized to issue bonds to alleviate the conditions and promote the objectives set forth below; and to provide a stronger, better coordinated development effort, it is determined to be in the interest of promoting the health, safety, morals and general welfare of all the people of the State to consolidate certain of such existing authorities into one finance authority;
(b)that involuntary unemployment affects the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the people of the State of Illinois;
(c)that the economic burdens resulting from involuntary unemployment fall in part upon the State in the form of public assistance and reduced tax revenues, and in the event the u
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The General Assembly hereby finds, determines and declares: (a) that there are a number of existing State authorities authorized to issue bonds to alleviate the conditions and promote the objectives set forth below; and to provide a stronger, better coordinated development effort, it is determined to be in the interest of promoting the health, safety, morals and general welfare of all the people of the State to consolidate certain of such existing authorities into one finance authority; (b) that involuntary unemployment affects the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the people of the State of Illinois; (c) that the economic burdens resulting from involuntary unemployment fall in part upon the State in the form of public assistance and reduced tax revenues, and in the event the unemployed worker and his family migrate elsewhere to find work, may also fall upon the municipalities and other taxing districts within the areas of unemployment in the form of reduced tax revenues, thereby endangering their financial ability to support necessary governmental services for their remaining inhabitants; (d) that a vigorous growing economy is the basic source of job opportunities; (e) that protection against involuntary unemployment, its economic burdens and the spread of economic stagnation can best be provided by promoting, attracting, stimulating and revitalizing industry, manufacturing and commerce in the State; (f) that the State has a responsibility to help create a favorable climate for new and improved job opportunities for its citizens by encouraging the development of commercial businesses and industrial and manufacturing plants within the State; (g) that increased availability of funds for construction of new facilities and the expansion and improvement of existing facilities for industrial, commercial and manufacturing facilities will provide for new and continued employment in the construction industry and alleviate the burden of unemployment; (h) that in the absence of direct governmental subsidies the unaided operations of private enterprise do not provide sufficient resources for residential construction, rehabilitation, rental or purchase, and that support from housing related commercial facilities is one means of stimulating residential construction, rehabilitation, rental and purchase; (i) that it is in the public interest and the policy of this State to foster and promote by all reasonable means the provision of adequate capital markets and facilities for borrowing money by units of local government, and for the financing of their respective public improvements and other governmental purposes within the State from proceeds of bonds or notes issued by those governmental units; and to assist local governmental units in fulfilling their needs for those purposes by use of creation of indebtedness; (j) that it is in the public interest and the policy of this State to the extent possible, to reduce the costs of indebtedness to taxpayers and residents of this State and to encourage continued investor interest in the purchase of bonds or notes of governmental units as sound and preferred securities for investment; and to encourage governmental units to continue their independent undertakings of public improvements and other governmental purposes and the financing thereof, and to assist them in those activities by making funds available at reduced interest costs for orderly financing of those purposes, especially during periods of restricted credit or money supply, and particularly for those governmental units not otherwise able to borrow for those purposes; (k) that in this State the following conditions exist: (i) an inadequate supply of funds at interest rates sufficiently low to enable persons engaged in agriculture in this State to pursue agricultural operations at present levels; (ii) that such inability to pursue agricultural operations lessens the supply of agricultural commodities available to fulfill the needs of the citizens of this State; (iii) that such inability to continue operations decreases available employment in the agricultural sector of the State and results in unemployment and its attendant problems; (iv) that such conditions prevent the acquisition of an adequate capital stock of farm equipment and machinery, much of which is manufactured in this State, therefore impairing the productivity of agricultural land and, further, causing unemployment or lack of appropriate increase in employment in such manufacturing; (v) that such conditions are conducive to consolidation of acreage of agricultural land with fewer individuals living and farming on the traditional family farm; (vi) that these conditions result in a loss in population, unemployment and movement of persons from rural to urban areas accompanied by added costs to communities for creation of new public facilities and services; (vii) that there have been recurrent shortages of funds for agricultural purposes from private market sources at reasonable rates of interest; (viii) that these shortages have made the sale and purchase of agricultural land to family farmers a virtual impossibility in many parts of the State; (ix) that the ordinary operations of private enterprise have not in the past corrected these conditions; and (x) that a stable supply of adequate funds for agricultural financing is required to encourage family farmers in an orderly and sustained manner and to reduce the problems described above; (l) that for the benefit of the people of the State of Illinois, the conduct and increase of their commerce, the protection and enhancement of their welfare, the development of continued prosperity and the improvement of their health and living conditions it is essential that all the people of the State be given the fullest opportunity to learn and to develop their intellectual and mental capacities and skills; that to achieve these ends it is of the utmost importance that private institutions of higher education within the State be provided with appropriate additional means to assist the people of the State in achieving the required levels of learning and development of their intellectual and mental capacities and skills and that cultural institutions within the State be provided with appropriate additional means to expand the services and resources which they offer for the cultural, intellectual, scientific, educational and artistic enrichment of the people of the State; (m) that in order to foster civic and neighborhood pride, citizens require access to facilities such as educational institutions, recreation, parks and open spaces, entertainment and sports, a reliable transportation network, cultural facilities and theaters and other facilities as authorized by this Act, and that it is in the best interests of the State to lower the costs of all such facilities by providing financing through the State; (n) that to preserve and protect the health of the citizens of the State, and lower the costs of health care, that financing for health facilities should be provided through the State; and it is hereby declared to be the policy of the State, in the interest of promoting the health, safety, morals and general welfare of all the people of the State, to address the conditions noted above, to increase job opportunities and to retain existing jobs in the State, by making available through the Illinois Finance Authority, hereinafter created, funds for the development, improvement and creation of industrial, housing, local government, educational, health, public purpose and other projects; to issue its bonds and notes to make funds at reduced rates and on more favorable terms for borrowing by local governmental units through the purchase of the bonds or notes of the governmental units; and to make or acquire loans for the acquisition and development of agricultural facilities; to provide financing for private institutions of higher education, cultural institutions, health facilities and other facilities and projects as authorized by this Act; and to grant broad powers to the Illinois Finance Authority to accomplish and to carry out these policies of the State which are in the public interest of the State and of its taxpayers and residents; (o) that providing financing alternatives for projects that are located outside the State that are owned, operated, leased, managed by, or otherwise affiliated with, institutions located within the State would promote the economy of the State for the benefit of the health, welfare, safety, trade, commerce, industry, and economy of the people of the State by creating employment opportunities in the State and lowering the cost of accessing healthcare, private education, or cultural institutions in the State by reducing the cost of financing or operating those projects; (p) that the realization of the objectives of the Authority identified in this Act including, without limitation, those designed (1) to assist and enable veterans, minorities, women and disabled individuals to own and operate small businesses; (2) to assist in the delivery of agricultural assistance; and (3) to aid, assist, and encourage economic growth and development within this State, will be enhanced by empowering the Authority to purchase loan participations from participating lenders; (q) that climate change threatens the health, welfare, and prosperity of all the residents of the State; (r) combating climate change is necessary to preserve and enhance the health, welfare, and prosperity of all the residents of the State; (s) that the promotion of the development and implementation of clean energy is necessary to combat climate change and is hereby declared to be the policy of the State; and (t) that designating the Authority as the "Climate Bank" to aid in all respects with providing financial assistance, programs, and products to finance and otherwise develop and implement equitable clean energy opportunities in the State to mitigate or adapt to the negative consequences of climate change in an equitable manner will further the clean energy policy of the State.