NAPERVILLE -- While Springfield Democrats work through budget disagreements during the last days of the regularly-scheduled legislative session, Republican legislative candidates are challenging Democrats to open up the budget process.
Tuesday morning, from her Naperville campaign office, Republican state representative candidate Darlene Senger called on Democrats to give the public three days between presenting the state budget and voting on it in the General Assembly.
Democrats' ongoing practice of keeping budget proposals secret from Republican lawmakers and the public angered GOP House members last week and resulted in all State House appropriations bills passing along party lines.
Senger, hoping to succeed retiring State Rep Joe Dunn (R-Naperville), said she was appalled to learn the way the Democrats handle the state's budget.
"As a member of the Naperville City Council, we get three months to look over the city's proposed budget for the upcoming year," Senger said, holding up a notebook copy of the city's FY 2008 budget. "This budget is made available to the public, you can get a copy at the library," she said, "How can the Democrats keep from taxpayers how their tax dollars will be spent?"
Former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger (R-Elgin) shared Senger's outrage with the way Democrats are ignoring public accountability in the process.
"Democrats like Barack Obama are calling for change. If they're serious about change in Springfield, something as reasonable as giving the public and lawmakers three days to look over the budget should be the first step."
Rauschenberger said when he directed the appropriations process when former State Senator Pate Philip (R-Addison) was Senate President, the process was different.
"When Republicans held the majority, as Appropriations Committee Chairman, we had over 40 hours of budget hearings. During those hearings, agency and department heads as well as the public were given the opportunity to testify. This year, less than 15 hours were allowed in Senate hearings," Rauschenberger said.
Senger said if elected in November, she will make opening the budget process a priority.
Senger is one of eight Republican state legislature candidates the United Republican Fund is promoting in the upcoming election, Rauschenberger, the org's president, said.
She is opposed by former teacher Democrat Diane McGuire.
