Plan to eliminate lieutenant governor finds new life, for now
A day after the Illinois Senate rejected a proposal to eliminate the state's lieutenant governor post, the Illinois House did the opposite.
The House approved state Rep. David McSweeney's move to put a constitutional amendment before voters to abolish the post now held by Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti of Wheaton. He says the move would save about $1.6 million per year.
"The House vote proved today that we can put our money where our mouth is when it comes to government efficiency and saving taxpayer dollars," McSweeney said.
The 95-10 vote would give the Illinois Senate another shot to try to put the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot, but state Sen. Tom Cullerton's proposal came up 15 votes short Thursday when both Republicans and Democrats worried about who would succeed a governor who died or left office.
Under both plans, the attorney general would be next in line, and critics said installing a new governor who could be from a different party would go against voters' wishes.
State Sen. Bill Brady, a Bloomington Republican, signed up to carry McSweeney's amendment in the Senate. Brady voted against Cullerton's plan.