Governor Pritzker Proposes $50 Million for Jacksonville Developmental Center Cleanup

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed state budget includes an additional $50 million aimed at cleaning up the long-closed Jacksonville Developmental Center, directing new money to a state program that would pay to remediate and demolish buildings on the JDC campus in Jacksonville, Morgan County.

The budget language, announced Feb. 25, 2026, places the $50 million as an increase to an existing remediation and demolition program that state agencies use to remove hazardous structures and address contaminated sites. The proposal would channel the funds specifically to activities at the Jacksonville Developmental Center, a former state-run facility that has remained closed and undeveloped in Jacksonville.

Remediation and demolition are the stated targets of the funding increase - the money would cover removal of buildings and associated cleanup work at the JDC site. For Jacksonville, that means a state-funded effort to take down remaining structures and undertake environmental remediation before any future reuse of the property can be considered.

The governor’s proposal is the opening move in the state budget process. Acceptance of the $50 million requires approval from the Illinois General Assembly before funds can be allocated to the remediation program and before demolition contracts can be issued for work at the Jacksonville Developmental Center. Morgan County officials and local leaders in Jacksonville will be watching the Springfield budget deliberations to see whether the governor’s addition survives amendments and appropriation votes.

If lawmakers approve the funding, the $50 million would represent a substantial state investment in the long-closed JDC site and could accelerate cleanup timelines for buildings that have sat vacant. The budget proposal puts the spotlight on the Jacksonville Developmental Center as a candidate for state-funded remediation and demolition and sets up a decision by Illinois lawmakers that will determine whether the work moves forward.