Illinois Governor-elect Bruce Rauner has said repeatedly he plans to reside in Springfield during his term in office.
On Thursday, he and his wife visited the official governor’s residence during his trip to Springfield to assess the situation “… and laying out a game plan to bring it up to the standards that we should all expect in the seat of our government.”
First occupied in 1856, the Executive Mansion is one of the oldest such buildings in the country. And with roof leaks, flooding and other problems, it’s showing its age.
“My plan would be to have the repairs that we undertake now to be 100 percent privately funded," Rauner said.
Jim Edgar is the last governor to make the mansion his primary residence, and he left office in 1999.
Outgoing Governor Pat Quinn lives in Chicago. That practice has been a sore spot among Downstaters, who already feel alienated from the state’s leading politicians.
Brian MAckey contributed to this report.