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"Since fiscal year 2004, Illinois Democrats have raided more than
$1.2 billion from special dedicated funds so they can increase
spending for new programs and pork barrel projects," said state Rep.
Renee Kosel, R-New Lenox. "Last week, the governor talked at length
about all the things he claims to have done to help keep our
families safe and healthy. In many cases, though, he has raided the
very funds earmarked for those purposes."
State Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, referring to comments the
governor made last week in his budget address, points to one example
of hypocrisy by this administration.
"In his budget address, the governor said the inadequate care of
Illinois veterans is a disgrace," said Bomke. "And I agree. What he
didn't say is that he has diverted almost $1 million from the
Illinois Veterans Rehabilitation Fund since 2004. If the governor
wants to help veterans, the first thing he should do is to stop
using their rehabilitation fund as his personal piggy bank."
State Sen. Pamela Althoff, R-Crystal Lake, a member of the
Legislature's Environmental Caucus, noted the governor's proposal to
offer a $500 sales tax credit for consumers who purchase
fuel-efficient automobiles.
"The governor is touting this tax credit in order to send the
message that he is environmentally sensitive," said Althoff.
"Meanwhile, he is raiding funds used to foster energy efficiency,
including $6 million from the Energy Efficiency Trust Fund, another
$1.3 million from the Alternative Fuels Fund and another $9.5
million from the Renewable Energy Resources Trust Fund."
Another crisis Althoff said the governor is finally taking note
of, now that it is an election year, is the state's nursing
shortage. "This is a problem lawmakers on our side of the aisle have
been working on for years," Althoff said. "Nurses ought to note that
a few months before the election the governor says he wants to be
their champion, but for the past three years he and the Democrats
have quietly been bleeding the Nurses Dedicated and Professional
Fund for nearly $1 million."
[to top of second column] |
 According to State Rep. Raymond Poe, R-Springfield, the governor
recently admitted that the state police fleet of vehicles is in
shambles and again raised the suggestion of borrowing money to fix a
problem he helped to create.
"This administration has ignored the need for new state police
vehicles for years," said Poe. "In fact, there hasn't been a new
squad car purchased for the state police since 2002. As a result, 74
percent of all the squad cars in the fleet have more than 100,000
miles on them, and many are over 200,000 miles. The state police
cannot do their job if they are hung up alongside the roadway with a
broken-down vehicle. But, lo and behold, we are in an election year
and suddenly the governor has a plan to solve the problem. What he
won't tell you is that he has diverted money from the State Police
Vehicle Fund every year since he was elected."
State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, represents Southern Illinois
University at Carbondale, and he says college students and their
families should also take note of the Democrats' election-year
hypocrisy.
"Since taking office, this governor and Illinois Democrats have
cut funding for colleges and universities by $400 million, forcing
massive tuition increases," said Bost. "At the same time, they have
eliminated funding for merit-based scholarships and have diverted
dollars from special license plate funds earmarked for need-based
scholarships. Once again, it's an election year and he is coming to
the rescue with a new scholarship program."
"These are just a few examples," said Kosel. "The list goes on
and on, and we have yet to even see the specific list of funds the
governor and Democrats plan to raid this year. The governor in his
budget address asked us to stop saying no. ... He is the one who for
the past three years has been saying no to veterans, to the state
police, to college students, to nurses and hundreds of other groups
depending on these funds. The fund raids and the election-year
hypocrisy must stop."
[News release from
Illinois
Senate Republicans] |
