| Government Reform |
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Illinois deserves open, honest government. Our residents feel we have the most corrupt government in the nation. As a former prosecutor I am committed to seeing corrupt public officials put behind bars, but I am equally committed to making sure that history does not repeat itself. I am tired of being a hard-working taxpayer in a state that has become a late-night television punch line. The Open Meetings Act (OMA) legislation that recently passed was a good first step, but more is needed. We need to make sure the OMA applies to the legislature as well. Too often the legislature passes laws that are good politics but not good government. We need to curb the influence of special interest groups and politically-connected individuals by strengthening disclosure laws and increasing reporting cycles. In the world of financial management, one often hears terms like “best practices” and “transparency.” These are basic ideas we need to implement to protect the state’s financial resources. As a former accountant for businesses, I know how to audit and question financial records, and how to structure reporting requirements so that transparency is achieved and maintained. I will work to ensure that elected officials who abuse their power to the point of corruption are treated like the criminals they are and implement policies, practices and procedures to prevent repeat occurrences. |
