“The only way we can earn back the public’s trust is if we stop reckless spending.”—State Senator Dan Kotowski

Springfield, IL – When he learned that the State of Illinois took money taxpayers thought they had donated to charity, State Senator Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge) decided to act.  Earlier this week, he passed legislation out of committee that requires the State to quickly send the charities their money.

“This is an issue of responsibility and public trust,” said Kotowski, one of the Senate’s lead budget negotiators.  “When people learn that we are taking money meant to go to charities, they lose faith in government.  The only way we can earn back the public’s trust is if we stop reckless spending.”

When Illinois residents are filling out their tax returns, they are given the option to donate some of their tax refund money to one or more charities of their choice.  In the past, the governor’s office swept nearly $2 million from these charitable funds to use for general state spending.  After learning that these charities were not receiving the money donated to them by Illinois taxpayers, the General Assembly decided not give the governor the authority to sweep these funds last year.  Senator Kotowski’s legislation guarantees that the charities are protected and paid the money they are owed.

“The people of the State of Illinois have said that giving money to these charities is a priority,” Kotowski said.  “This is the people’s money.  Spending it in any other way is just wrong.”

There is no question that our state faces challenges due to decades of waste, mismanagement and corruption. There is no question that previous governors from both political parties violated the public trust and damaged our once excellent reputation. This reckless behavior, coupled with the economic recession, led to our current financial crisis. The question is: What are we doing to fix the problem?

The fact is that taxpayers have made a significant and important investment in our government. They deserve to see results. They deserve to see production, impact and value.  Just like families and businesses have made tough decisions to do more with less, to live within their means, taxpayers deserve that their state do the same.

Despite what you read on a daily basis, there is a serious effort underway to move our state in the right direction. Illinois recently passed some of the toughest spending reform laws in the country.  These laws require the state to live within its means and to make spending decisions based on whether programs work or not. Future state budgets will be based on what we have available to spend (not what we would like to) and on performance. This will help end automatic funding and stop the self-interested spending decisions that got us into this mess in the first place. From now on, the plan is to keep the programs making a difference and eliminate the ones that aren’t.

Governor Quinn selected a non-partisan group of business executives, budget experts, policy advocates, legislators and even a Nobel Prize winning economist to successfully realize the goals of these spending reform laws through the Budgeting for Results Commission. As members of this commission, sponsors of this legislation and representatives of both political parties, we are excited by our progress. We are well-aware that we have much work to do and many hills to climb. But we look forward to continue working together on behalf of taxpayers to follow this responsible spending path and to, once and for all, move our state in the right direction.

Pamela Althoff                                                  Dan Kotowski

State Senator, 32nd District                           State Senator, 33rd District

“President Walesa helped bring an end to the Cold War and Eastern European communism.   The freedoms and high quality of life enjoyed by
the Polish people today are a direct result of President Walesa’s heroic actions.”—State Senator Dan Kotowski

Springfield, IL – Earlier this afternoon, the Illinois State Senate joined the Illinois House to proclaim February 9, 2012 Lech Walesa Day in Illinois, honoring the Solidarity leader who led Poland into its current era of democracy and capitalism.

“Lech Walesa is one of the great world leaders of the 20th Century,” said State Senator Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge), who sponsored the resolution honoring Walesa.  “He helped bring an end to the Cold War and Eastern European communism.   The freedoms and high quality of life enjoyed by the Polish people today are a direct result of President Walesa’s heroic actions.”

“Throughout his life, Lech Walesa has shown a strong commitment to fighting oppression and securing freedom for all members of society,” Senator John Mulroe (D-Chicago) said. “As a trade union activist, he helped fight for the rights of thousands of Polish workers in the face of significant persecution by the communist government. As President of Poland, he oversaw the nation’s transition to democracy and its first free parliamentary elections. His leadership is an example to us all.”

Walesa, a Nobel Peace Prize Winner, served as President of Poland from 1990 to 1995.  He oversaw his country’s transition from a communist, totalitarian way of life to a free market and democracy.  He helped Poland become a member of NATO and a free member of the United Nations.  He was elected president because of his long history of courageously defying the Polish communist regime as leader of the Solidarity Party.

Illinois is honoring Walesa because he will receive the 2012 Lincoln Leadership Prize from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation tomorrow.

“President Walesa and President Lincoln share many of the qualities that the best, most inspiring leaders need,” continued Kotowski, who is of Polish descent.  “Like Lincoln, Walesa has followed a strong moral vision for his whole life.  He believes that freedom and democracy are two of this world’s most important values, and he accepted the burden placed on him by history and his own individual conscience.  Like Lincoln, Walesa comes from humble beginnings, and holds his faith to be one of the most important guides in his life.” 

The Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation gives out its leadership prize each year to honor someone who shares Abraham Lincoln’s values and who has truly made a positive difference.  Past winners include Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court; Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who helped bring peace and equality to South Africa; and Tim Russert, the journalist who set new standards for his profession.