Bruce Rauner has released eleven pages of suggestions for reforming state government:
His ten “key reforms” include:
- Making government spending more transparent and accountable.
- Ending the shuttle service and selling state planes.
- Eliminating political slush funds.
- I’ll take no salary and no pension as governor.
- Shifting all current Illinois legislators into a defined contribution system.
- Restricting the outside employment of legislative leaders.
- Enacting a 10 percent cut to Constitutional offices and the General Assembly.
- Merging the Comptroller and Treasurer’s offices.
- Reforming Central Management Services and our procurement process.
- Implementing true Medicaid reform
Rauner says he will decrease the 16 plane-helicopter state (largest in the country) fleet.
He pledges to end the executive shuttle service.
While the verbiage is aimed at Pat Quinn, there are legislative leaders such as Mike Madigan and John Cullerton who might feel a bit threatened as well. Madigan does not drive back and forth to Chicago. He flies. He rewards allies by allowing them to ride with him.
Rauner does say that he will end the shuttle service between Chicago and Springfield. He probably should check out state law, where I believe his staff will find that legislators have first call on such service.
Florida Governor Rick Scott, also independently wealthy, sold the entire state fleet and used private planes to get around his state. That would be a way to keep legislative leaders from finding out whether the roads and railroad track between the State Capital and Chicago are in good or bad shape.
Backing legislation to force legislative leaders not to have outside jobs (number 6 on the list) is a promise that is not likely to bring results. Saying, “No law firms on the side,” is one thing. Passing legislation to that effect would require–at a minimum–Republicans taking control of both chambers of the General Assembly.
From a graphics point of view, using all capital letters makes it harder to read than using upper and lower case type.
I think Rauner will be the best thing for Illinois but as for Madigan I don’t think he feels threatened by anything.
The best thing would be to get Madigan out but I don’t see that happening.
He has too much power and he knows it.
Why would you state?: “Passing legislation to that effect would require–at a minimum–Republicans taking control of both chambers of the General Assembly.”
Are you saying Jack Franks is really a Democrat?
Now there is a thought: Jack Franks being a Democrat.
How many people first run on whatever ticket they can to win.
You see it all the time.
Democrat’s who know they can’t win running in their own party and then switching to run as a Republican just to get in or they run as an independent.