The Mike Bertelsen Project

The Illinois state budget spending has increased according to a report made by the Illinois Policy Institute. A 2% increase means $34.2 billion in spending compared to $33.5 billion that's been originally reported.

Senate Democrats are requesting an additional $480 million in additional appropriations which translates to an additional $1 billion in spending! The formula for more debt is in place. Spending reduction demands need to be met so that Illinois businesses have a chance to grow.

Download the Illinois Policy Institute report here.

"The Illinois Policy Institute outlined a $27.6 billion budget plan that would have been sustainable without January’s tax increase. It included appropriate funding for core government services, and a full payment to the state’s pension funds and bondholders." - from the report

The Illinois Policy Institute has released a four-point plan for 2010. This agenda is very promising and provides a framework to go by.

• Pension Funding and Fairness Act. This requires borrowing early on, but would put pensions on a real path to full funding with all debt paid off by 2024.
• No more big spending! Wasteful pork is hurting us.... big time. See the 2010 Piglet Book for details.
• A three-year freeze on state spending The new study, due out in March, will show that spending in Illinois can be flat-lined.

• A full-fledged Illinois Performance Audit will be done which most likely will show the economic decline in Illinois started in 1970. Recommendations for change will reverse the course.

With these solutions in place, the fiscal calamity will come to an end WITHOUT a tax increase. We need to put faith back into the free market and get free from politicians who keep wanting to raise taxes. The future of Illinois hangs in the balance!

We have a $9 billion dollar budget hole and spending is going up: about 45% since 1998. The population has only grown about 4%. We have a spending problem. The Illinois Policy Institute is offering liberty-based solution policies.

The Economic Reform Agenda was announced by the Institute and State House Republican Leader Tom Cross on March 11th. The policies include a 3/5 majority votes on tax and fee increases (I agreed with this as a state senate candidate in 2008) and a Stimulus Watch Act, requiring all programs started by the stimulus funding must end when funds are no longer available.

As a result, the Illinois Policy Institute has become the leading pro-taxpayer policy voice in Illinois. Key information is also available from them regarding state public policy.

Download the latest edition of the Institute's publication here: The Compass

Illinois Policy Institute Policy Points