Cavaletto Votes Yes on Government Reform Measures

5/21/2009

Springfield, IL….The Joint Committee on Governmental Reform was commissioned following former Governor Rod Blagojevich’s removal from office for the purpose of studying ethics and procurement reforms. Resulting legislation from those meetings passed the Illinois House this week.

State Rep. John Cavaletto (R – Salem) says many of the reforms brought about this week were needed to begin restoring public trust in Illinois state government. “Illinois state government is in need of a serious ethical re-boot,” Cavaletto said. “The passage of these ethics bills means that elected officials and anyone doing business with the state will have to abide by rules that keep the best interests of the people we represent in mind.”

Legislative action on Wednesday led to the elimination of the state of Illinois Compensation Review Board. The Compensation Review Board was responsible for setting cost of living adjustments (COLA) for members of the Legislative, Judiciary, and Executive Branches. “The last thing we should be considering as a state government is raising our own pay,” Cavaletto said. “The old process of raising legislator pay was nothing more than a fraud on the public. Now, members of the legislature will actually have to vote “Yes” to raise their own pay, which I think is a strong step in the right direction.”

On Thursday, the House passed legislation offered by Speaker Madigan that will reform state purchasing and procurement procedures, transform rules for lobbyists, and terminate directors, assistant and deputy directors of agencies, members of boards and commissions, and “double exempt” employees hired by Governors George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich. Designated employees under SB 1333 will be terminated 90 days after the effective date of the Act unless Governor Quinn decides to retain the individual within that time frame.

A comprehensive collection of documents, testimony, and resulting legislation in relation to the Joint Committee on Governmental Reform can be found by visiting www.ilga.gov.

Cavaletto Votes for Crucial Capital Jobs Bill

5/21/2009

Springfield, IL….State Rep. John Cavavletto (R – Salem) voted to create the first capital construction program in a decade in the state of Illinois. HB 312 establishes a spending plan that will create nearly 500,000 jobs statewide in coming years.

Cavaletto says the capital construction plan passed by the Illinois House late Thursday night will spark Illinois’ economy and shore up aging and crumbling infrastructure. “Today we voted to support a capital plan that will grow our economy and put people back to work,” Cavaletto said. “I feel fortunate as a freshman legislator to see my colleagues come together in a time of great economic need and pass a job creation bill. The people of southern Illinois have been waiting for this for a long, long time.”

Following a decade of stagnation on the issue of capital construction, the Illinois House unanimously approved new road, bridge, school, and infrastructure construction. “We voted today to make a major investment in our people and in our infrastructure. We will fix thousands of miles of bad roads, crumbling bridges, and build new schools. With unemployment over 9% in Illinois, this plan will put people back to work and get our economy going again,” Cavaletto said.

A study conducted by Southern Illinois University estimates a capital program of approximately that size ($25 billion) will create around 443,000 new full-time jobs, generate $23.7 billion in labor income and lead to $32.5 billion in economic activity and more than $2.4 billion in state and local tax revenues.

The capital bill that passed the Illinois House also addresses the list of 23 school districts that have been waiting since 2002 for $150 million in promised school construction funding.

Cavaletto Focuses on Ethics Reform

5/15/2009

Springfield, IL….A special “open caucus” meeting of House Republican legislators focused on the Illinois Reform Commission’s 100-day report on cleaning up state government. The special session was open to both Republican and Democrat members of the Illinois House and Senate as well as the media and general public.

Representative John Cavaletto (R – Salem) feels the meeting was productive, but says more political progress needs to be made before real reform can happen. “I was happy to see some of my democrat colleagues in attendance today,” Cavaletto said. “There was one notable absence though.” Cavaletto was referring to House Speaker Michael Madigan who declined to attend the meeting. “Unfortunately without support from the speaker, these reform proposals are dead in the water, and that is really a shame.”

Illinois Reform Commission Chairman Patrick Collins, a former assistant U.S. attorney, talked at length about the commission’s recommendations to clean up government. Topics covered in his presentation included matters of campaign finance reform, legislative map redistricting, and the indictment and impeachment of former Governor Rod Blagojevich.

“I commend Chairman Collins for appearing before our caucus and answering our questions on reform,” Cavaletto said. “Illinois government has been mired in the muck of corruption, secrets, and lies for too long. We have one Governor in prison and another one may be on his way there. We have to recognize that ‘enough is enough’ and the time for real, meaningful reform in the way we do business in Springfield has come.”

Cavaletto is urging constituents to read the Illinois Reform Commission’s 100-day report online at reformillinoisnow.org. “Folks should really read the entire Commission Report so they can get a clearer picture on these proposals,” Cavaletto said. “If we are going to make changes in Illinois government, the people will need to become educated on these issues and hold elected officials accountable.”

Rep. Cavaletto Joins Chesley and Business Leaders Opposing Prevailing Wage Legislation

4/30/2009

Springfield….State Rep. John Cavaletto (R – Salem) joined Mt. Vernon Mayor Mary Jane Chesley and representatives of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Illinois Retail Merchants Association, NFIB-Illinois and the Illinois Municipal League in opposing Senate Bill 43 in a capitol press conference held Wednesday.

Cavaletto warned of potential risks to economic growth in Illinois should the bill move forward. “This bill will require all projects in Enterprise Zones or Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts to pay the prevailing wage on construction projects, even if those projects are 100% privately funded,” Eddy said.

The legislation alters the original intent of the Prevailing Wage Law, which was to ensure that public works projects, including the construction and maintenance of publicly-funded property (i.e. schools, municipal buildings, roads and bridges) followed prevailing wage guidelines.

“I have spoken out against all attempts to destroy business growth since taking office,” Cavaletto said. “The area I represent has lost 5,000 jobs in the last decade. I am very disappointed that the Democrat majority is pushing a bill that will almost certainly kill off any potential for economic development. Cavaletto speaks out on Prevailing Wage Bill

Mt. Vernon Mayor Mary Jane Chesley offered local perspective on the potential risk to economic growth in the King City should SB 43 pass. “We have worked hard to offer incentives to businesses looking to locate in Mt. Vernon, and we have been successful in doing so,” Chesley said.

“Passing this bill will mean that businesses who would have either located for the first time, or expanded their services in our city will head to Kentucky, Missouri, or Indiana to set up shop. We can not afford another assault on business incentives in southern Illinois,” she said. Chesley speaks out on the Prevailing Wage Bill

Rep. Cavaletto is urging citizens to contact Speaker Michael Madigan’s Springfield office at 217-782-5350 and voice their concerns on Senate Bill 43.