More than $740 million from federal taxpayers for Illinois’ non-Community Development Block Grant cities should be released. That’s the message from the Illinois Municipal League. The group says larger communities in Illinois are getting direct payments from federal funds. Small communities must rely on the state government to request and allocate such aid. That’s impacting funding for more than 1,250 communities, the group said.

Vermilion County received positive news about receiving future funds from the federal government. Congresswoman Mary Miller's staff reported the Office of Budget and Management has decided it will not change the guidelines for Metropolitan Statistical Areas. Officials had been considering requiring changing the minimum population requirement for Metropolitan Statistical Areas from 50,000 to 100,000 people.

The City of Danville, Kankakee and the Carbondale-Marion areas would have also been affected.

94.1 WGFA