 But that's close to the mission for a new task force named by
Illinois leaders, which will study the impact of the state's recent
reform laws.
One of Illinois' most prominent reformers, David Morrison with the
Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said he has high hopes for
the task force, but he acknowledges that reform and Illinois don't
always go together.
Morrison said the task force has a primary goal of reporting on new
election laws enacted last year.
"It's going to take a lot of people a while to wrap their heads
around whether or not (the new laws) work," he said.
Four members of the task force -- former lawmaker and gubernatorial
candidate Dawn Clark Netsch, state Sen. Don Harmon, House Majority
Leader Barbara Flynn Currie and election lawyer Mike Kasper -- have
been nominated by Democratic leaders.
Republican leaders have named Jo Ellen Johnson, Todd Maisch and John
Noak to the task force. The GOP has one more pick. Gov. Pat Quinn
will name three people to the task force, but he has yet to put forward
any names.
Kelly Jakubek, a spokeswoman with the governor's office, said
filling out the commission is on the "to do" list.
"Gov. Quinn is working diligently to make these appointments," she
said.
Morrison said he's interested in who Quinn will appoint, but he is
impressed by the task force so far.
Though Morrison said there will be a lot of work to do.
"There are lots of changes that need to be reviewed. We'll soon get
quarterly reports from candidates ... and all $1,000 contributions
will now be reported throughout the year," he said.
And there will be talk of public financing of elections.
"Public finance is the first issue on the list, but it is not the
only issue," he said.
Morrison said that's been one of the goals for the Illinois Campaign
for Political Reform for years, particularly in judicial elections.
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"Judges are different than other candidates running for office. To
raise money requires something different of them," he said.
Many of the headlines about the task force have focused on the
public financing role of the group. And there is already some
push-back against the idea.
Morrison said it's the same old argument that he's been hearing for
years.
"There are lots of ways you can say it's a terrible idea," said
Morrison, "(but) it is an idea that needs to be looked at."
The reform review task force has yet to meet. They have a long way
to go before anything is expected of them. The first report from the
11-member group is not due for a year and a half.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT]
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