Let lawmakers vote on scholarships

I have an abiding respect for the legislative experience of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, however I disagree with his recent decision to block Gov. Pat Quinn’s amendatory veto of my legislation banning the General Assembly from doling out legislative scholarships to relatives. I’m on record as being for elimination of the much-maligned tuition waiver program, which time after time has been misused by lawmakers.

It’s time to stop this costly perk. As a former top aide to two governors I believe I have a firm grasp of this issue. The governor’s veto of HB 1353 amends the very section dealing with General Assembly scholarships and it is well within the governor’s legal, and constitutional authority to make specific recommendations for change. The governor basically rewrote the bill so that it eliminates the scholarships altogether instead of banning lawmakers from awarding the scholarships to family members. If Speaker Madigan wants to oppose Gov. Quinn’s changes to this controversial program he should just say so, but I strongly disagree with the legislative methodology he is employing here, as he is simply using trumped-up parliamentary procedures.

Though it’s not often I’m on the same page with Gov. Quinn on matters of public policy, the General Assembly should be given the opportunity to vote up or down on whether lawmakers should be able to provide the oft-abused legislative scholarships, when clearly the program has been used to reward friends, campaign donors and other cronies. It’s time to end the legislative scholarship perk once and for all.

State Sen. Kirk W. Dillard

24th District

Hinsdale