Reform push is step in right direction

It is commendable that the Daily Herald is expressing an interest in cleaning up corruption in Springfield through a series of commentaries about reform, as well as providing readers with a daily countdown of days left until the legislative session ends and officials can act to clean up corruption.

Economic reform has been urgently needed for many years. Under Democrat Speaker Mike Madigan's leadership, the House has passed six unbalanced budgets. As a result Illinois has a $12 billion budget hole with $82 billion in unfunded pension liabilities. Each man, woman, and child is indebted to the tune of $17,000!

Speaker Madigan has yet to address the budget problem. Madigan's stab at reform was to push for legislation that would oust as many as 3,000 state workers appointed by scandal tarnished ex-Governors Ryan and Blagojevich. The Chicago-based Illinois Policy Institute (illinoispolicyinstitute.org) has an Economic Reform Agenda that would bring prosperity back to our state. Franco Coladipietro (R-Bloomingdale), along with his House Republican colleagues, are urging Speaker Madigan to schedule votes on the Institutes's four proposals. Surely Speaker Madigan is interested in injecting transparency and accountability into the state budget before the General Assembly heads for the door on May 31st.

But is it even possible to change the mentality of sleaze and corruption in Springfield in a state where one party rules?

The Daily Herald might go a step further by advocating reform of House and Senate rules that give the Speaker and the President ultimate power to decide whether a bill gets to be heard on the floor. The Illinois General Assembly is urgently in need of men and women who are good enough to represent and to work on behalf of the people of Illinois. A concerned and enlightened citizenry can make a difference.

Nancy J. Thorner

Lake Bluff