FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 15, 2009
Contact: Joe Calomino (847) 204-8514

State Senate Passes Bill to Shed Light on Illinois Finances

“Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal (ITAP)” awaits Governor Quinn’s signature

Springfield  Today, the Illinois Senate approved transparency legislation spearheaded by Americans for Prosperity and State Representative Michael Tryon (R – Crystal Lake). House Bill 35 will create the “Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal (ITAP)” requiring the Department of Central Management Services to create an on-line searchable website with information regarding state expenditures, tax credits, state employee salaries and state contracts.

With the help of Americans for Prosperity, Rep. Tryon authored the Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal (ITAP) legislation last year (HB 4765) where it passed the House of Representatives, but was never called for a vote in the Senate under the former leadership of Senate President Emil Jones and the Blagojevich administration.

“Transparency is the first step towards holding our elected officials accountable for how they spend our tax dollars. With new leadership in both the governor’s office and the senate president’s office it appears that state government is ready for real reforms,” said Americans for Prosperity’s State Director Joe Calomino.

House Bill 35, this year’s version of the Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal (ITAP received bi-partisan support as well as support from several grassroots organizations, trade associations, press associations, and taxpayer protection groups, despite strong opposition from labor unions who did not believe salaries of state employees should be made public.

Americans for Prosperity looks forward to Governor Quinn’s expeditious approval and subsequent signing of HB35 into law.

“Governor Quinn has made it clear that reforms on all levels of our state government are needed in order to regain the trust of Illinois citizens. Transparent government is good government and good government has nothing to hide from the taxpayers who fund it,” said Calomino. “Americans for Prosperity and our over 20,000 statewide grassroots members are pleased that the State Senate has passed the Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal (ITAP). However, there are many more reforms needed to put Illinois on the right track and AFP will be pushing for those additional reforms.”

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. For more information, visit www.afpil.org

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