Doesn't look like Speaker Madigan's sudden urgency to reform state employees' pension system means he's turned over a new transparency leaf after all. In response to Minority Leader Tom Cross and Adam Andrzejewski's proposal to conduct a forensic audit on the state budget, Madigan's spokesman Steve Brown told the SJ-R,
“I question what the motivation is and why you’d want to spend tens of millions of dollars when the state is broke,” said Steve Brown, spokesman for Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan. “It’s a huge waste of money.”
Brown also said the study would essentially duplicate the auditor general’s responsibilities.
Andrzejewksi responded to those comments this morning, saying,
"This audit is 'lunch money' per person for one day...'
"Furthermore, the forensic audit is not a cost at all- it's a REVENUE center. Who is the state doesn't believe that at least 5% of all state spending is mis-spent or worse? Just at the minimum level of 5%, $3 billion of waste could be cut out of the budget!"
Andrzejewski, who introduced the forensic audit idea during his recent GOP primary bid for governor, wrote on his blog, "$60 million invested to save $3-5 billion is a 50x-80x return on investment! And let's just say the state is running so well that only $1 billion of corruption turns up; the ROI is 16x!
"If Madigan can't do simple math, it's no wonder Illinois has been decimated on his watch. Speaker, at best you are not part of the solution, at worst 'Shame on You.' "
The House resolution, sponsored by Rep. Patricia Bellock, was introduced Wednesday and is found HERE.
