Backroom Budget Process Needs Reform

SPRINGFIELD, IL-- With the May 31 legislative adjournment date looming, State Senator John J. Millner (R- Carol Stream) is highlighting the need to change the state’s budget process.

        “For the last several days the two Democrat leaders in the Senate and House and the Governor have been meeting, trying to come up with a budget that will fund the needs and wants of more than 12 million Illinois residents,” Millner said. “The fact that only three people are in control of the final product is just wrong. There should be more disclosure and sunshine in this process because the public has a right to know how their money is being spent.”

        Senator Millner co-sponsored a measure, Senate Bill 1601, targeting political pork projects that are hidden in the state budget. The legislation requires greater disclosure on the projects, also known as “member initiatives,” so that all projects are line-itemized and contain detailed descriptions of who is pursuing the project and how the money is being spent.

        “If this budget is anything like the last several, it will be weighted down with initiatives that may or may not be in taxpayers’ best interests in light of our serious financial crunch,” Millner said. “Senate Bill 1601 would put those up to scrutiny, as would a measure our caucus has pushed to require a seven day public review period for the overall budget. Unfortunately these and many other reform bills were never granted a hearing in the Senate.”

        Senator Millner has also sponsored Senate Bill 1600 which would ban lump sum appropriations for so-called “member initiatives” and Senate Bill 1540 which would authorize the Auditor General to perform reviews of grants and line items in the budget to ensure there are no hidden appropriations.

        Millner noted that this year, lawmakers introduced 18 major pieces of legislation aimed at reforming the state budget process and ethics practices, but 15 of those bills were never granted a Senate committee hearing.

        “We need to change how we do things here,” Millner said. “If the items in the budget are worthy of taxpayer’s money, they should be put out for everyone to see. It’s that simple.”

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