From the Office of Senate President John Cullerton
SPRINGFIELD, IL - In an effort to promote greater budget transparency, Senate President John J. Cullerton announced the Senate is ending the practice of issuing lump-sum dollar amounts for member projects that are not specified in the budget. From now on grants, also known as “earmarks,” must be identified as specific line items in the state budget.
“Our state’s fiscal and ethical crisis demands that we increase transparency and budget accountability. We simply can’t afford to continue old habits that veiled the process and use of public funds” said President Cullerton. “I intend to lead my caucus with the philosophy that the use of taxpayer dollars should be subject to taxpayer scrutiny.”
To that end the Senate President has recently settled a FOIA lawsuit that he inherited from former Senate President Emil Jones Jr. on the subject of lump-sum member initiatives. The lawsuit was filed by Judicial Watch and AFP-IL in an attempt to force former Governor Rod Blagojevich and President Jones to disclose how lump-sum member initiative funds were being spent.
Under Jones, Senate Democrats had $18.7 million member projects in the 2007-2008, but wouldn’t release information on those projects and their sponsors.
But last month, President Cullerton turned over a list of all of the lump-sum member initiatives sought by Senate Democrats for that budget cycle.
The move prompted Judicial Watch to drop its lawsuit and applaud the Senate President’s approach to budget transparency and the release of public information.
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