From Adam Andrzejewski of For the Good of Illinois…
“No”
“Non-vote”
That’s how Democrat state reps Keith Farnham and Jack Franks “voted” on the forensic audit resolution they sponsored. In spite of their supercilious backing of the resolution, Farnham voted against it and Franks “went to the bathroom”. Michael Madigan and Illinois Democrats voted down a measure that would have meant accountability in Illinois’ spending and would have gone a long way to preventing Governor Quinn’s proposed 33% tax hike.
Prior to voting down HR 1057, the Illinois General Assembly passed a forensic audit of Medicaid, which represents $13 billion in state spending. The bill passed both legislative chambers without any opposition (House, 113-00, Senate 59-00). According to the New York Times and the FBI 10% of state Medicaid spending is fraud. Based on this estimate, Illinois taxpayers will save $1.3 billion thanks to the audit.
Unanimous passage of the Medicaid audit confirms two things 1) an audit is sound policy, and 2) the political will to audit doctors, hospitals and the poor for fraud certainly exists.
If it’s a good idea to audit 25% of state spending, why not audit the remaining 75%?
When it came time to vote on an audit of all state spending, the vote split down party lines. Republicans voted for it. Democrats voted against it. In effect, Democrats are using misdirection to focus voter attention on Medicaid spending, while they hide waste, fraud and corruption in the remaining $39 billion of “political” spending.
Republican Leader Tom Cross, lead sponsor Patty Bellock and the entire House Republican caucus stood in stark contrast to Speaker Michael Madigan and House Democrats. Illinois Democrats are now on-the-record opposing a corrective audit of the entire budget while our state careens toward insolvency.
As a chief advocate spearheading the campaign for a forensic audit of all state spending and author of this Illinois Forensic Audit Act, I think it is critical for citizens to understand what’s at stake:
- preventing a 33% tax 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; and
- 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.
Yesterday’s vote only confirms our belief that we can’t rely on machine politicians to put an end waste, fraud and corruption. They are determined to continue the legislative shell game in order to line their pockets. We must take matters into our own hands.
In June, we are re-launching For the Good of Illinois. Our mission: promoting self-governance in Illinois by engaging, educating, and empowering citizens to demand limited, accountable, and transparent government of, by, and for the people.
We may have been delayed, but we have not been denied. Stay tuned.