From Adam Andrzejewski’s For the Good of Illinois…
On March 24, House Leader Tom Cross joined me in calling for a forensic audit of state spending. House Resolution 1057 requires the Auditor General to begin a forensic audit of state spending covering the Blagojevich/Quinn administrations.
We introduced HR 1057 with four goals in mind:
- Stop Governor Quinn’s Income Tax Hike
- Cut Spending
- Eliminate Waste
- End Corruption
In 2007, Auditor General William Holland issued a report indicating that the State of Illinois “…does not have a comprehensive, consistent inventory of programs.” This report highlighted that state government is so cumbersome and disorganized it could not prepare a list of programs it funds and operates on a daily basis.
Speaker Madigan, Open The Books!
On March 10, 2010, Governor Pat Quinn proposed a 33% income tax hike, which would cost already struggling Illinois families $500. Governor Quinn and Speaker Madigan continue to say there’s nowhere to cut from the state budget, while asking Illinois families to cut from their budgets.
On February 9, 2010, The Illinois Policy Institute joined with Citizens Against Government Waste to release the 2010 Illinois Piglet Book, identifying over $350 million in wasteful spending including $6,500 for a tub of live bass, $353,165 for car racing, and $10,000 for a Batman gala.
So we ask the question, “Governor Quinn and Speaker Madigan, are you sure there’s nowhere to cut?”
Please sign our online petition indicating your support of HR 1057 and call your state legislator today.
To learn more about the resolution and the benefits of a forensic audit, please visit www.openthebooks.com.
Illinois State Representative Patty Bellock calls HR 1057, “…the most important piece of legislation in this session.”
House Speaker Michael Madigan says the audit, “…costs too much.”
Governor Quinn’s tax hike will cost Illinois taxpayers $500. A forensic audit, $5.
In 2004, a Kansas Democrat governor did a “top-to-bottom” audit of state spending and saved taxpayers $1 billion. Kansas is five times smaller than Illinois. Time Magazine named this Democrat one of the Top 5 governors in the country. In 1991, a Texas Democrat governor saved Texas $8 billion.
We know the stakes: Preventing a 33% take hike, which will cost Illinois families an additional $500. Cutting wasteful spending, that has resulted in a $13 billion budget deficit. Ending corruption that has resulted in the conviction of roughly 1,000 individuals over the last three decades. Restoring confidence in our great state of Illinois, which last year alone lost 700 manufacturing companies and 735,000 individuals over the last ten years.
The future of our state depends on resolving these issues. If there was ever a time to get involved and make a difference, that time has come.
Please support HR 1057 and tell Speaker Madigan to Open the Books in Springfield.
Thanks for joining our movement and working toward a new day in Illinois. Because of you, we’re going to win this.