Illinois Lawmakers Should Prioritize Transparency in Budget Making

Iowa and Wisconsin have had no balance budget mandate since their inception, and Oregon voters required a balanced budget in the state constitution in 1930. Illinois is considered a low-performing state in terms of transparency. Republican state Senate candidate Suzanne Simpson criticized Democratic leaders for being secretive when crafting the state budget. The $55 billion spending plan included pet projects for their districts in clandestine deals reached with Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Key Takeaways:

• Simpson argues that all legislators should have time to study the budget before voting on it, suggesting a mandatory one-week public review period.
• Bond agrees that the budget process should be more transparent but emphasizes that the problem is not limited to one party's leaders.
• Simpson points out that the budget-making process is more open at every other level of government in Illinois, except in the state budget.
• Bond suggests that electing lawmakers with financial backgrounds can help solve the budget problem.
• Simpson criticizes the current budget process, which gives legislators only one hour to vote on the budget, making them reliant on their leaders' word.

Statistics:

• The Illinois state budget is $55 billion.
• Only 38% of state budgets in the United States are chronically late.
• 30 states require balanced budgets, but not Illinois.

Sources:

• Simpson, Suzanne. "Lawmakers should be less secretive when crafting the state budget, and legislators on both sides of the aisle should participate in the process." Interview with the Daily Herald.
• Bond, Michael. "The budget problems go back long before Rod Blagojevich took over." Interview with the Daily Herald.