House wants governor's signs gone

SPRINGFIELD -- Future governors would be barred from plastering their names across tollway billboards with taxpayers' money, under a measure the Illinois House approved Thursday.

Pushed by local residents' complaints, state Rep. Elizabeth Coulson, a Glenview Republican, proposed expanding state ethics laws to specifically prohibit state officials' names from appearing on taxpayer-provided billboards and electronic message boards.

A sweeping 2003 ethics law bans top officeholders from using their names, likenesses or voices in radio, newspaper and TV advertisements related to state-funded programs. Similar prohibitions were put in place for bumper stickers, commercial billboards and other promotional items unless it was in furtherance of their state duties. Blagojevich supported that law.

So when numerous blue-and-white "Open Road Tolling, Rod. R. Blagojevich, Governor" signs began appearing over the tollway at a cost of $15,000 each, political tempers flared.

Blagojevich's aides have explained their belief that the signs are part of the governor's duties, merely informational about the new tollway systems and do not violate the law.

One lawmaker -- Chicago Democrat Kenneth Dunkin - agreed.

Dunkin said Thursday the public should know what elected officials are accomplishing and saw no problem with the Blagojevich tollway billboards. He described the proposed prohibition as a "vendetta toward one particular individual."

However, Dunkin was the only lawmaker to oppose the legislation. It was approved 109-1 and now goes to the Illinois Senate. Its future there is uncertain. The House passed identical legislation last year that failed to become law.