March 23--An auto show that's been a Springfield tradition for 66 years has been suspended because of Illinois' state budget stalemate.
The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports Secretary of State Jesse White's office announced Friday that it won't hold the annual Secretary of State Vehicle Show and Swap Meet this year.
The event typically draws hundreds of collector and muscle cars ranging from classics that predate the show's 1949 inception to the latest resto-mods, RVs, motorcycles, tractors and more. The event attracts more than 1,000 people to the area near the state Capitol in downtown Springfield.
A board of directors awards a best in class trophy imprinted with the state seal.
Spokesman Henry Haupt says the office determined that suspending the show is "the fiscally responsible thing to do during this budget crisis." He says the show costs about $18,000 to stage.
Costs include mailing brochures, printing promotional materials and making 750 special-event license plates, according to the State Journal-Register.
Haupt says the office hopes to resume the show once Illinois has a budget.
Lawmakers have been fighting over a budget for the fiscal year that began July 1, 2015.
The SoS event, as it is known, typically happens the second weekend of September. The Secretary of State encourages concerned citizens to contact the governor's office or local legislators, and "urge them to resolve the budget impasse".
Associated Press contributed
