Senator Dan Kotowski News

“Our budget plan makes meaningful reforms by keeping what works and getting rid of what doesn’t. It ends the reckless spending policies of the past, pays our unpaid bills, and funds key priorities, like education and job creation.” – State Senator Dan Kotowski

SPRINGFIELD, IL – A budget proposal that spends less and pays down the state’s unpaid bills advanced the Senate Appropriations committee late yesterday. The Senate’s budget plan would trim discretionary spending by more than $317 million compared to last year and is now in position to be called for a Senate floor vote as early as Wednesday or Thursday.

Read more: Kotowski, Senate take the lead to pass a balanced budget

This meaningful reform changes ‘business as usual’ in Springfield and will save taxpayers about $200 million every year. During these difficult economic times, we can no longer afford to provide free health insurance coverage for the people that have the means to pay for it.
- Sen. Dan Kotowski

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SPRINGFIELD, IL – Legislation today sent to the governor will save taxpayers nearly $200 million by reforming the way the State pays for retired workers’ health insurance costs. The major cost-saving measure would eliminate free health care premiums for state retirees, legislators, and judges that have the means to pay for it.

Read more: Kotowski supports legislation to save taxpayers hundreds of millions

On the heels of legislators’ requests last spring, an audit released this morning reveals some major problems in the College Illinois! Prepaid Tuition Program, which enables parents to lock in present tuition rates and then make payments toward their children's future tuition costs at Illinois colleges and universities.

State Senator Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge), a member of the Legislative Audit Commission, reacted with criticism and said more reforms are necessary to restore the public’s faith in government.

“This audit shows our ongoing obligation to change business as usual in Springfield,” Senator Kotowkski said. “We must put an end to the reckless policies of the past. I’m pleased that ISAC has agreed to accept and implement the audit’s recommendations to serve as a guide to improve its business practices and stabilize the program.”

The Auditor General’s report looks at actions taken over a six-year period (July 2006 – June 2011) by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). The audit found that the former executive director of College Illinois didn’t disclose conflicts of interest. The program also reportedly ignored or changed its criteria for deciding how to invest money that participants put into the program. Meanwhile, costs nearly tripled in just five years.

Since the spring of 2011, ISAC has made a number of changes and implemented safeguards on its own. Some of the reforms include replacing the Commission Chair and appointing a new ISAC Interim Executive Director, replacing the entire sitting Commission Board members, and hiring a new Chief Investment Officer to manage the College Illinois! trust fund.

ISAC has also certified to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Illinois Board of Higher Education that the program will meet all obligations for Fiscal Year 2013, which begins in June.

Nearly two years after Illinois Senator Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge) ended his participation in the much-scrutinized legislative scholarship program, the General Assembly is finally following his lead, as well as the nearly 80 other legislators who have already opted to end the program.

House Bill 3810 today passed out of the Illinois Senate today and now heads to the Illinois House where it will be given further consideration. The measure abolishes the program and sets up a task force to review and evaluate tuition waiver programs offered by state universities.

“This is another important step to putting an end to business as usual and stopping the reckless spending policies of the past,” Senator Kotowski said. “I took steps to end this program two years ago. It’s a welcome sight to see that the General Assembly is following my lead ending this abused program.”

Current law allows state senators and representatives to award free tuition at Illinois’ public universities for up to eight students from their district each year. The public universities they attend are forced to absorb the cost of their tuition, and this expense can get passed on to other students in the form of tuition increases.

Several media stories have highlighted abuses of the tuition waiver program. According to the reports, some legislators have given scholarships to family members and children of campaign donors. Prior to leaving the program two years ago, Kotowski had an independent committee select the recipients of the tuition waivers based on their qualifications and need.

Kotowski, who spearheaded legislation through the Senate to cut legislators’ pay earlier this year, also called on members of the Illinois House to take up his cost-saving proposal during the next four weeks – saving taxpayers’ an additional $1 million.

“We must work to restore faith in government by doing more with less and forcing state government to live within its means. I hope the House will realize that both of these bills accomplish that goal and take swift action to enact them,” Kotowski added.