Term limits would curb the corruption

On Jan. 18 the Daily Herald had an article on a recent Mount Prospect city meeting where the leaders discussed challenges ahead due to not getting money from the state that by law they should be receiving. Because this loss of state funding is affecting our local services, the incompetence, corruption and cronyism of our state government is now hitting close to home.

Because companies are reluctant to expand or locate in Illinois, we have fewer new jobs, our unemployment rate remains high and real estate prices are only slowly recovering. Our temporary income tax increase has not helped to reduce state debt, so it will probably become permanent and maybe go up again. We can no longer look the other way and say our culture of corruption affects others — it affects all of us.

If Bruce Rauner stays true to his word, he will push for term limits that hopefully will cleanse Springfield of some of the political hacks who are ruining this state. And because he is new to politics and funding much of his campaign, hopefully he will not owe too many favors to supporters and he can do what is right.

His opponents try to sell themselves as the best option because of their experience with state government, which is saying Rod Blagojevich should head Department of Corrections because of his firsthand experience. When Alex Clifford was forced out at Metra for not hiring and giving raises to a couple of bureaucrats who worked on the Madigan campaign, our tax money was used to give him a $718,000 severance package. The Chicago Tribune recently had an article that detailed Madigan’s patronage army, which adds to the costs for our state that already is hopelessly in debt.

Before the next election, ask candidates if they support term limits, and if they do, hold them accountable. We need to expect and demand more from our elected officials, and if they don’t deliver, try someone else.

Mike Haase

Mount Prospect