In the News

Pioneer Press, June 25, 2009

State elected officials serving the North Shore said correcting past actions of impeached and indicted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich require ethics reforms and filling budget deficits.

"We're still dealing the consequences of Rod Blagojevich, but what a difference a year makes. We've seen a change in leadership to help resolve his abuses," said Sen. Jeffrey Schoenberg, D-9th, referring to current Gov. Pat Quinn.

Schoenberg said the state faced a $9 billion deficit, though he believed passing a cigarette tax could bring in billions in federal monies to help pay for government health-care programs.

Earlier this year, the American Lung Association in Chicago partnered with Schoenberg in working to tax cigarettes at $2 per pack, an increase of nearly $1.

State Sen. Susan Garrett, D-29th, speaks during Mondays lunch hosted by the Northbrook Chamber of Commerce at the Sheraton Chicago Northbrook Hotel.
(Brian O'Mahoney/Staff Photographer)

On the budget deficit, May said state government has already cut a half billion dollars in spending.

"And we're getting down to the bone. More than 10,000 jobs of state workers could be cut," she said.

On ethics, she said the Illinois Reform Commission supported reforming the way Illinois dealt with contractors, lobbyists and purchases; for instance, in ending pay-to-play politics, the commission recommended that an ethics commission would appoint purchasing employees rather than the governor, thus ending political influence.

While Democrats and Republicans have made efforts to change pension funds of state workers, Nekritz said correcting current pensions would have to wait.

"We can't get to them yet, but we can look at future pensions," she said.

"The overarching issue is the budget. Will we have cuts? Yes, but we need reforms in pensions and ethics. We have done reforms in ethics," she added.

Garrett said half of the states in America have imposed tax increases amid the faltering national economy.

"Illinois reflects the rest of the country and the world," she said.