Law won't let politicians get bigheaded

Drivers have a lot of distractions these days, but giant, smiling images of Pat Quinn or Judy Baar Topinka won't be one of them.

At least on the taxpayers' dime, that is.

Gov. Quinn Thursday signed legislation banning Illinois government officials from putting their photos or names on state-sponsored billboards and electronic signs.

Educating residents about state programs should not be an excuse for self-promotion, Quinn said.

State Sen. Matt Murphy, a Palatine Republican who co-sponsored the bill, said the policy is tied to reform efforts in the wake of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's ouster. The former governor, currently on trial on corruption charges, gained notoriety for posting his name on toll plazas along Illinois tollways. Tollway leaders exorcised the Blagojevich name immediately after his impeachment in January 2009.

“In general, people are offended by seeing their tax dollars used to promote specific elected officials,” Murphy said. “This is an opportunity to show some respect to the people who pay the bills by making this not about us.”

The billboard provisions strengthen an existing law that forbids state elected officials from self-promotion in television, radio, newspaper and magazine ads.