Rep.Tracy Seeks to Mandate Balanced Budget in IL [Audio]

(Springfield, Ill)—Illinois State Representative Jil Tracy of Quincy says she and her fellow Republicans proposed legislation on Friday that would require the Illinois Auditor General’s office certify a budget is truly balanced.

If the Auditor General finds that the budget is not balanced, the Comptroller will be required to stop all payments besides those absolutely critical to function of the state, such as public safety or programs mandated by the federal government.  This will include cutting off funding to pay salaries for legislators and the Governor. Tracy says the Constitutional Amendment is necessary after prior attempts to rein in spending have failed…

Programs continue to be expanded, and Illinois' unpaid bills continue to grow while budget shortfalls are not being addressed, in spite of efforts by the Republican caucus the last several years. Moving forward, we have no option but to put teeth in what our Constitution says...and that has to be done with an Amendment.

Tracy says the budget issue boils down to simple math…

We can't have 9 billion dollars in debt, if our budget is supposed to be balanced.  We have to take the next step to show the public we are serious about the budget crisis.  The public is clamoring for us to do our jobs, and we should not be paid until we do.