By Jennifer Wessner Illinois Statehouse News
SPRINGFIELD — An Illinois lawmaker on Wednesday announced his proposal to make Illinois' historically corrupt political culture more transparent.
State Sen. Dan Kotowski, D-Park Ridge, laid out a plan that would increase the amount of personal financial information that candidates and public officials must disclose in order to run for or hold public office.
Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said Kotowski’s plan builds on existing Illinois law.
Kotowski said the existing statement of economic interest does not do enough to hold candidates and officials accountable.
His plan would require future and current elected officials to disclose all income, donations, property interest, liabilities and all previous employment to voters. Additionally, they would be required to outline the financial interests of all immediate family members.
Kotowski said the reluctance of candidates such as Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady and GOP lieutenant governor candidate Jason Plummer to release their tax returns this year has shed light on the problem.
Since former governor and now convicted felon Rod Blagojevich was impeached in early 2009, the Illinois legislature has passed several laws with similar objectives as Kotowski’s proposal. Illinois enacted a major ethics reform law shortly before Blagojevich’s ouster and passed campaign finance reform last December.
Critics say the passage of such strict reforms puts running for political office out of reach for the average citizen.
Chris Mooney, professor of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield, said he sees where critics are coming from.
Canary said the criticism is unfounded since Kotowski's proposal expands on a law already on the books.
But Kotowski said the problem has reached a point where it's worth the risk of alienating a few would-be politicians.
But Canary acknowledges this proposal will not root out all backroom deals.
Kotowski realizes his plan might not fix the problem, but he said it would allow the public to have a better understanding of who they are voting for than they have now.
Yes indeed. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. I can’t wait to see Mike Madigan and John Cullerton’s financial statements/tax returns or whatever it is Senator Kotowski has in mind.