Lt. Gov. outlines reform plan for Illinois government

[January 12, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn is offering his plan for reforming Illinois government but says restoring public faith in state government won't be easy.

In an op-ed piece published Sunday in the Chicago Tribune, Quinn makes five recommendations for cleaning up state government.

They include better enforcement of ethics laws and ending automatic pay raises for high-level public officials without a vote.

Quinn will become governor if Gov. Rod Blagojevich is removed from office over corruption charges. Blagojevich was impeached Friday by the Illinois House and now faces a trial in the state Senate.

Quinn says Illinois is "bombarded" with corruption stories when it should be "bursting with pride" over President-elect Barack Obama's move to the White House.

[Associated Press]

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