Average grade on report card prompts trip to Springfield

I'd been on the fence about going to Springfield with the Legislative Committee of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce.

In recent years, I've visited our state capital six times. In the current climate, I kept asking myself, "Is this the right time to go again?"

Then, by coincidence, the day before the scheduled trip, I became aware via AOL of The Pew Center on the States Government Performance Project. The just-released 50-state report card evaluates each state government's performance in serving the public.

Forty-one states scored from C-plus to A-minus, with the national average a B-minus.

Even considering all the headlines and editorials about Illinois politics and the mood of the country, I was disappointed to see our Land of Lincoln received a "C" along with six other states. Only two states received lower grades.

"It can't be easy to manage a state such as Illinois, with huge outstanding bills and troubled revenue streams," reports the GPP.

The report cemented my decision to join the lobbying initiative. I wanted to listen and learn firsthand, if possible, why our state is in gridlock about transportation issues, bridge building and other workable changes and solutions to educate and attract businesses to create jobs.

I urge everyone who is interested in the challenges of state government to look at www.pewcenteronthestates.org.

For what it's worth, compare Illinois, the nation's fifth-largest state, to others such as Michigan, Missouri, Indiana, Iowa and others with innovative strategic plans and sound management practices. You be the judge.

Drive down

"Destination Springfield" attracted more than 40 participants, including city officials, elected officials, candidates running to serve as state representatives and chamber members from Naperville, Downers Grove, Plainfield and Bolingbrook.

Sponsored, in part, by Edward Hospital, a full schedule of "briefs" on Wednesday had been arranged, starting with a photo opportunity with Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias.

While lining up on the Capitol steps, our group discovered the 31-year-old Giannoulias had played basketball at the Latin School of Chicago under Coach Michael Connelly.

Connelly, a Lisle attorney serving on the DuPage County board, recently won the Republican primary to fill the seat that will be vacated by Rep. Jim Meyer of the 48th District at the end of this term.

That day, the governor also named former Speaker of the U.S. House Dennis Hastert and Southern Illinois University President and former U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard as co-chairmen of the new bipartisan Illinois Works Coalition, a proposed $25 billion capital plan.

Pay attention as this group takes shape.

Hastert addressed our group while we were in 84th District House Republican Leader Tom Cross' office. He reminisced about his time attending North Central College in the early 1960s and delivering milk when Naperville's population was 6,000. We gave him a standing ovation.

By day's end, which included a reception in the Illinois Executive Mansion (aka Governor's Mansion), we'd experienced face-to-face encounters with elected officials from both sides of the aisle.

They all sang the same song about well-known intra-party games that have stalled progress.

On the return trip Thursday, we vowed to contact legislators other than those who serve Naperville. The Illinois General Assembly, with 59 senators and 118 representatives, "responsible for enacting, amending or repealing laws, passing resolutions, adopting appropriation bills and conducting inquiries on proposed legislation" for a population of nearly 12,832,000 could use your input, too.

What do you want for Illinois?

Contact information to write, call or e-mail for our state officials is posted at www.illinois.gov.

We rehashed the experience, with new respect for the frustration expressed by members of both parties.

We also enjoyed lots of laughs. Even when it wasn't funny.