CHICAGO–(ENEWSPF)–August 22, 2011. In a key step in reforming the state’s budget process, a commission named by Governor Quinn held its first meeting Friday in Chicago to help guide the implementation of Budgeting for Results. Enacted last year by the General Assembly, Budgeting for Results (BFR) is a tool to help government agencies set priorities, meet goals, and deliver excellent services and achieve the best value possible to taxpayers.
“Budgeting for Results represents a major step toward smarter, more transparent government and greater accountability across all agencies,” Governor Quinn said. “This commission will help Illinois deliver essential services in the most efficient, effective way possible, and ensure that taxpayers are getting the results from government they expect and deserve.”
Private business has long employed a similar management model to improve performance through clearly defining and aligning objectives across organizations. Rather than setting budgets for each agency separately and based on historical funding levels, BFR allocates scarce resources based on government-wide goals. BFR calls on every agency of government to make the case for its budget each and every year measured in terms of its success delivering results and value to the people of Illinois. The budgeting shift will encourage innovation and performance among agencies, and allow taxpayers to see the true impact of their tax dollars.
For the fiscal year 2012 budget, the first year of BFR, agencies and departments were required to justify budget requests based on results achieved in the following priority areas set by the Governor:
- Quality education and opportunities for growth and learning for all Illinois students;
- Enhanced economic well-Being of citizens;
- Protection of citizens’ lives and property;
- Protection of the most vulnerable of our citizens;
- Improved quality of life of citizens; and
- Improved efficiency and stability of state government.
The commission will make recommendations on the Governor’s priority areas and proposed outcomes, propose a percentage of the overall budget to be assigned to each results area, and review current spending mandates.
The commission is composed of Illinois legislators, executive staff, outside experts and stakeholders. Senator Dan Kotowski (D–Park Ridge) serves as chairman of the commission and was co-sponsor of legislation enabling Budgeting for Results.
“I am honored to be appointed chairman of the Budgeting for Results commission,” Sen. Kotowski said. “This bipartisan commission will implement a framework to cut, eliminate, reform and fund agencies and programs based on performance, not politics and self-interest. Illinois families live by these principles every day; now the state government will as well.”
The other commission members are:
- Hon. Sheila Simon, Lieutenant Governor;
- State Senator Tony Munoz (D – Chicago);
- State Senator Pam Althoff (R – Crystal Lake);
- State Representative Will Davis (D – Hazel Crest);
- State Representative Kent Gaffney (R – Lake Barrington);
- Hon. Will Burns, Alderman, City of Chicago;
- John Bouman, President, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law;
- Carole Brown, Managing Director, Barclays Capital;
- Larry Joseph, Director, Budget and Tax Policy, Voices for Illinois Children;
- Jim Lewis, Senior Program Officer, Chicago Community Trust;
- Lyle Logan, Vice President, Northern Trust Bank;
- Dr. Roger Myerson, Glen A. Lloyd Professor of Economics, University of Chicago;
- Maria de Jesus Prado, President, Prado & Renteria;
- Alex Rorke, Co-chair, Illinois Economic Recovery Commission;
- Jose Sanchez, CEO and President, Norwegian American Hospital;
- Steve Schnorf, Budget Consultant;
- Kevin Semlow, Director of Legislative Affairs, Illinois Farm Bureau and;
- Donna Sims Wilson, Executive Vice President, Castleoak Securities.
“It is a privilege to serve the state of Illinois on the new Budgeting for Results Commission,” Roger Myerson, Noble Prize winning economist said. “This commission reflects a broad commitment by the Governor and the legislature to improve the process by which this state makes hard fiscal choices. We will work to develop better measurements of government performance and budgetary transparency.”
“The appointed Commissioners are a good cross-section of private and public sector individuals,” Rep. Kent Gaffney (R-Lake Barrington) said. “The task ahead will become more difficult as we work towards a plan to allocate scarce state funds in a manner that will improve the business climate and overall economic situation of our state, while also improving the quality of life for Illinoisans.”
Appointees from the Governor’s executive staff are Cristal Thomas, Deputy Governor, and John Kamis, Senior Advisor to the Governor.
The commission will issue a report the Governor and the General Assembly by Nov. 1 each year, starting in 2011.
Source: illinois.gov
