Illinois State Comptroller Dan Hynes released a long press release yesterday seeking support for the bi-partisan Government Integrity Initiative (HB4073, HB5765, SB2138, SB1955) - you can read the Hynes press release here. While Dan is using former Governor George Ryan’s recent conviction as a springboard, he made a similar push for ethics reform about a year ago. I see this as positive reform on its merits - as long as it doesn’t stop further reform - and it also is a great issue for Dan’s political future, if he again seeks higher office (maybe governor or, if U.S. Senator Barack Obama runs for governor - or president, then another shot for Dan at U.S. Senate?)). The public interest and the interests of maintaining political office can work together - and it’s always nice to see when they do. A number of good government organizations have endorsed the Initiative, including Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, the Better Government Association, Common Cause Illinois, Citizen Action, Protestants for the Common Good, the League of Women Voters, Illinois PIRG and DuPage’s own Citizens Advocacy Center based in Elmhurst.
The current package offers positive reforms, including restrictions on “pay to play” by limiting donations by contractors to the public officials that award them work; requiring more time between serving the state and lobbying it; and offering public financing of State Supreme Court judicial campaigns. While an improvement, these reforms really do not go all the way, such as offering public financing in all campaigns, but they offer a real start.
Dan Hynes plans to take the Government Integrity Initiative ethics reform message to the residents of Rockford, Rock Island, Peoria, Bloomington, Urbana, Marion and Edwardsville, urging them, and urging all citizens, to contact their legislators and tell them to pass it. From the press release:
“Citizens can call 217/782-2000 to obtain the telephone number of their legislators. Citizens also can find the telephone numbers and addresses of their legislators at: http://www.ilga.gov/. If you are unfamiliar with the names of your legislators you can locate them by going to the Illinois State Board of Elections web site and entering your 9-digit zip code or your address: http://www.elections.state.il.us/DistrictLocator/AddressSearch.aspx.”
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