 In
his letter dated June 19, Brady said the following:
"We're hearing a lot of numbers these days, a lot of stories of
doomsday coming for state government. There are some tough choices
ahead, but the real truth is that Gov. Quinn and the Democrats
fumbled the budget process this year.
"What the Democrats
passed gives the governor an admittedly imperfect budget, one which
I voted against. The budget passed by the General Assembly did
nothing to fix systemic problems with our budget process. It did not
cut funding for expensive new programs initiated by Blagojevich
fiat. It rejected shared sacrifice and unfairly targeted human
service providers and some of our most vulnerable citizens. It did
not include any of the suggestions from the Republican side of the
aisle for reforming areas of state spending that are spiraling out
of control.
"In spite of its
shortcomings and the state's budget crisis, it is a budget that can
work -- if the governor stops his scare-tactic crusade for a tax
increase, acts like a leader and manages the state's finances within
the resources we have.
"Quinn promised
this spring to ‘cut, cut, cut' state spending. Instead he now has
become the governor wanting to tax, tax, tax.
"The governor and
his agencies need to justify every dollar they take from the
taxpayer. They need to prioritize, just as every family and every
business in Illinois is doing today.
"The fiscal 2009
deficit, which stood at $4.2 billion, will be reduced to $2.3
billion in the new fiscal year through revenues from the federal
stimulus package, $300 million from dedicated funds and $600 million
from a less-than-perfect bond refinancing scheme.
"I believe we can
manage that budget, if the administration holds the line on
spending, while we undertake a serious and overdue review of the
entire revenue and spending priorities of government today.
"Those agencies
that were fully funded at last year's levels should hold back 10
percent of their budgets in reserve. Those services that were funded
at 50 percent should limit their spending over the next six months
to 90 percent of their appropriation last year.
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"There will be some sacrifice, but that managed spending will allow
government to continue to function and serve our most vulnerable
populations with fewer layoffs, fewer closings and fewer people left
without assistance than what the governor has been threatening.
"Gov. Quinn should
come back to the General Assembly in the fall with a supplemental
budget that recognizes the savings realized through efficiencies,
management and prioritization and that uses those savings to fund
needed services in other areas of government.
"We also need to
reform our spending. Let's start by reining in spending with a
comprehensive look at how and where Illinois spends your tax
dollars. Let's look at reforming our Medicaid program, where
Illinois has lagged behind other states by not instituting a managed
care system that reduces costs and increases access to quality
health care. Let's refinance our debt with a bonding system that
spreads the lower cost over time without taking a two-year,
payment-free holiday that pushes another $600 million on to our
children and grandchildren.
"Illinois is at a
crossroads, our task difficult, and our choices not easy. But a tax
increase that takes billions of dollars out of our economy and hands
it to a deep-rooted bureaucracy resistant to change is not the
answer.
"We can do better,
and we must do better for the future of Illinois."
[Text from file from office of
Sen.
Bill Brady; LDN staff]
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