Franks tackling big problems
It's good to know that our local lawmakers got right back to work during the first week of veto session.
State Rep. Jack Franks was particularly busy. He passed a bill that will require additional review of state leases before they are accepted. Cronyism and insider connections have allowed widespread abuse in our government, including contracting state leases where insiders get huge rents for nonessential state services.
Last spring, Rep. Franks exposed a leasing scheme involving the Illinois Department on Aging. He persuaded the governor to nullify the lease and saved the taxpayers more than $500,000 annually.
Rep. Franks is also carrying Senate Bill 3965, which would appoint an Inspector General for the Regional Transportation Authority. Last summer, we learned about the abuses of a Metra executive.
Rep. Franks' legislation will help stop corruption by allowing for independent audits and inspections of the RTA and Metra boards.
Rep. Franks is also working to create a fraud hotline that will allow taxpayers to contact the Auditor General's office directly to blow the whistle on government corruption directly. He also filed a series of bills to take away salary and benefits to transit board appointees and members of the Toll Highway Authority board.
Rep. Franks' energy and courage to tackle the important problems and help clean up government waste are serving us well in Springfield.
Bob Gibson
Woodstock