Rep. Sente pushes for deep cuts as budget reforms become law

SPRINGFIELD, IL– As the Governor released his budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, State Rep. Carol Sente (D-Vernon Hills) joined him Wednesday as he signed legislation she initiated, House Bill 5424, into law, creating Illinois' Budgeting for Outcomes Law. As the work to create the Fiscal Year 2012 budget continues, Sente is pushing for more spending cuts while these new reforms are implemented into the budget.

This week, the Governor released his budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year. Afterwards I was able to sit down with him to ensure a vital budget reform measure was signed into law. House Bill 5424 creates Illinois' Budgeting for Outcomes Law. As the work to create the Fiscal Year 2012 budget continues, I will continue to push for more spending cuts while these new reforms are implemented into the budget.

We have a budget deficit that was caused by years of mismanagement in our government, and nipping at the corners is not going to solve it. We need to re-train state staff, agency heads and appropriation committee chairs, vice chairs and minority spokespersons how to budget within these new reforms. To ensure success the next step of changing the budgeting culture begins. We need to dig deeper to cut spending, reform our entire tax structure and embrace the budgeting for outcomes changes or else we will never end this culture of waste and debt.

I will push for the Governor to make sure that state spending is based solely on revenue in hand during the present fiscal year. Despite the “temporary” tax increase that recently took effect over my objection, spending still must be cut to make ends meet. Last year, I wrote a precursor to the budgeting for outcomes legislation that is already taking effect this budget year to impose zero-based budgeting, requiring all line-items to be re-evaluated to determine whether they should be funded again, reduced, or cut to save taxpayers' money. The budgeting process for Fiscal Year 2012 will take several months of negotiations, and I urge you to review and comment on the Governor's proposal online at www.budget.illinois.gov. I also encourage area residents to share your thoughts with me at my next coffee shop stop, on Saturday, February 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Dunkin Donuts at 1169 McHenry Rd. in Buffalo Grove.

During a recession, we simply cannot pass government's problems onto the hard working families, businesses and retirees to foot the bill. We must find creative ways to finance essential services without resorting to exuberant borrowing schemes that will pass our troubles along to future generations.

If you have any questions about the budget, or other aspects of state government or local issues, please contact me at RepSente@gmail.com, or call my office at (847) 478-9909. The success of state government depends on the participation and input of residents and lawmakers.