Tom Cullerton disappointed in hypocrisy of lieutenant governor

SPRINGFIELD- State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is disappointed in the hypocrisy of the lieutenant governor's statements during the Illinois Senate Appropriations Committee.

During the committee, Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti reiterated she believed her office should not be eliminated because of the succession process and the important government consolidation work she is spearheading.

"The governor and lieutenant governor's office continue to push for bloated bureaucracy on the taxpayer's dime," Cullerton said. "Right now, taxpayers are paying for two deputy governors and a lieutenant governor. The hypocrisy is outrageous. While the lieutenant governor continues to push for local government entities to consolidate and eliminate redundant and ineffective units of government, she stands as a symbol of government waste."

The lieutenant governor has been tasked with spearheading the Local Government Consolidation Taskforce. The taskforce has pushed for 27 recommendations; however, only three may advance this year and one was successful so far.

"It is hypocritical to continue to ask local governments to cut and eliminate units of government when the state government isn't willing to do the same," Cullerton said. "We are in the middle of tough times. Everyone needs to tighten their belts. The money we save should go toward crucial services like our schools, programs to help our seniors and vulnerable populations, not another means for political patronage."

Cullerton has continued to push for government consolidation first through his work with the passage of Senate Bill 494 in 2013, which created the DuPage County government consolidation model which is touted in the report released by the lieutenant governor's government consolidation taskforce, and sponsoring multiple constitutional amendments to eliminate the office of the lieutenant governor.

Since Cullerton has been in office he has supported eliminating the position under both a republican and democrat governor. He believes the money would be better spent and services can be better executed without duplicate forms of government.

Cullerton is the senate sponsor of HJRCA6 and plans to advance the legislation once Representative David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) passes the measure in the House.