HR0553 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0553 LRB099 12647 GRL 36316 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has failed to consistently budget in a way that provides fiscal stability and employs a long-term approach to Illinois' financial health; and

WHEREAS, The State lacks the fiscal stability necessary to adequately attract and retain new jobs at the levels necessary to support robust economic growth; this lack of stability drives up costs of providing critical services and programs for Illinois residents; and

WHEREAS, The lack of consistent long-term budget strategies, combined with the recent fiscal downturn, have led to a perpetual cycle of crisis budgeting; and

WHEREAS, Crisis-driven budgeting has led to a focus on short-term needs, rather than the long-term needs of the State; and

WHEREAS, The instability of Illinois' fiscal situation limits the ability of the State to adequately fund education, provide for critical human services to those most in need, and address unpaid bills; and

WHEREAS, An evaluation of the quality and efficacy of programs and services provided by the State must be an integral part of the appropriations process; and

WHEREAS, Budget efforts should be focused on best practices and the most cost-effective approach for the provision of essential programs and services, rather than the crisis-driven decision making currently employed; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the General Assembly to implement the following budgeting practices to standardize the annual budget process as follows:

(1) set an annual revenue estimate, after examination of the estimates of the Governor's Office of Management and Budget and the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability;

(2) allocate non-discretionary items "off the top" of the estimate of available revenues before dividing the rest of the revenue proportionately among the appropriations committees; and

(3) create an "Executive Appropriations Committee" comprised of the chairs and minority spokespersons of each appropriations committee as well as the chair of the Revenue Committee, which shall be charged with setting the amounts to be allocated to each appropriations committee and any subsequent reallocation of such funds; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the General Assembly to not approve the expenditure of funds for new programs and services without providing an examination of the cost/benefit analysis of said program or service and a finding that the addition of the new program or service provides significant long-term benefit to the State's fiscal health by realizing cost savings or meets an overriding public policy need; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the General Assembly to conduct such an analysis at the committee level, with each substantive and appropriations committee creating a working subcommittee to consider such measures and evaluate the aforementioned criteria.