Monday, October 12, 2009

Veto Session

The General Assembly begins their annual fall veto session Wednesday, October 14. The session consists of three days this week and three more at the end of the month. The biggest item on the agenda is a pillar of my campaign, government reform, with the funding of the state’s Monetary Assistance Program (MAP) for lower- and middle-income college students also high on the ‘to-do’ list.

First, concerning the MAP program, the governor had the power to fund the program for the full year, but didn’t. That has left students and their families in limbo for the second half of the school year.

For all the talk of supporting education from the Democrats, it is disappointing to say the least that only half the school year was funded, negatively impacting some 138,000 students across the state. While I know there are hundreds of other worthwhile programs to be considered and funded, providing funding for only half the year is like funding construction of half a bridge…which was something former Gov. Blagojevich did a few years ago.

Let’s pass the back tax amnesty program supported by House Republican Leader Cross and work with our universities to identify cost cutting or other budgetary options at the state or university level (there has to be some way to save some dollars on campus given tuition and fees have outpaced inflation just about every year since I was in college nearly twenty years ago) to get these students through this year without more taxes.

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With respect to the latest government reform efforts, it is clear the Democratic leadership is feeling the heat from voters for the passage of their “incumbent protection bill” this spring, which the governor rightly vetoed.

But cynicism remains across the state that meaningful reforms will get passed, as one can easily tell by reading a recent State Journal Register column: http://tinyurl.com/yzy8elh or a recent Decatur Herald & Review article, that also calls into question what action, if any, the current leadership is taking to help fix the state’s woeful economic and budget situation: http://tinyurl.com/ygc6urc

But biding time in hopes voters will forget the scandal and corruption that has plagued the state is unrealistic.

I articulated government reform proposals I support in my previous post, some of which are being strongly advocated by other Republican leaders and candidates because they are achievable, realistic and at the very least, set a reasonable bar from which we can move up. I am also researching additional considerations for improving how our government operates, most notably the first rung in the election ladder – ballot access, i.e. signature requirements, mandatory forms, etc. Perhaps there are ways we can create a less cumbersome system that encourages participation by our citizenry.

The bottom line for government reform advocates and frustrated citizens is: don’t give up the fight. Keep the pressure up through the 2010 elections when we’ll have a chance to install new leaders untainted from the recent scandals to create a better government and brighter future for Illinois.