Observations and comments about state government by State Representative Robert W. Pritchard.
The Governor’s budget address last week was an opportunity to establish a bold vision for the state and set goals and priorities that will guide the development of state programs, services and spending for the next few years. What I heard was certainly not a pep talk that any successful coach would have used to inspire his team to victory or draw extra personal effort to overcome hard choices.
This budget address was the first opportunity that Governor Quinn had to establish goals, allocate resources, set in place ways to monitor performance and describe how he will evaluate outcomes under guidelines established in legislation passed earlier this year.
Contained in the speech were references to the goals of providing quality education, economic growth, protecting individuals and businesses, caring for the most vulnerable citizens, and maintaining our quality of life. He even listed a few strategies—ways—he planned to reach those goals but certainly nothing very specific nor with a price tag.
Quinn promised that state agencies will be developing tools to measure progress toward his vague goals as the budget is implemented. The spending details that were delivered after the budget address looked a lot like last year’s budget, complete with more borrowing, delaying payment of bills to providers and creative accounting that hides actual spending levels and program costs. He was also outlining a plan to increase the size of government and expand state spending at a time when nearly every other state governor and the federal government are trying to reduce spending.
The Governor wants to spend $1.7 billion more than he anticipates receiving even with the new income tax collections. Another proposal calls for adding nearly 1,000 state employees, when other states are reducing the size of government. Governor Quinn also wants authority to borrow $8.75 billion to pay bills, which incidentally total $6 billion. I support paying the bills– over $93 million in our area alone. However when you look at the numbers, the governor only proposes actually paying $4 billion of the bills and using the rest of the borrowed funds for increased spending.
I will be advocating that the legislature roll up its sleeves, make some tough budget cuts, pay its bills and really debate the priorities, goals and outcomes needed for the state.
District Office 815-748-3494 or E-Mail to bob@pritchardstaterep.com
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