Full Text of HR0554 099th General Assembly
HR0554 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has failed to consistently | 3 | | budget in a way that provides fiscal stability and employs a | 4 | | long-term approach to Illinois' financial health; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, The State lacks the fiscal stability necessary to | 6 | | adequately attract and retain new jobs at the levels necessary | 7 | | to support robust economic growth; this lack of stability | 8 | | drives up costs of providing critical services and programs for | 9 | | Illinois residents; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, The lack of consistent long-term budget | 11 | | strategies, combined with the recent fiscal downturn, have led | 12 | | to a perpetual cycle of crisis budgeting; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Crisis-driven budgeting has led to a focus on | 14 | | short-term needs, rather than the long-term needs of the State; | 15 | | and | 16 | | WHEREAS, The instability of Illinois' fiscal situation | 17 | | limits the ability of the State to adequately fund education, | 18 | | provide for critical human services to those most in need, and | 19 | | address unpaid bills; and
| 20 | | WHEREAS, Addressing the State's unpaid bills on a |
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| 1 | | consistent basis allows other units of government that are | 2 | | dependent on State funds to better plan and more efficiently | 3 | | manage their finances, resulting in lower costs for local | 4 | | taxpayers and more cost-effective management for other | 5 | | providers, such as hospitals, nursing homes, non-profit | 6 | | organizations, and others; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Fluctuations in the economy are inevitable; the | 8 | | State must employ budgetary practices to avoid being forced | 9 | | back to the drawing board every time there is a revenue | 10 | | downturn or unexpected but necessary budgetary demand; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Consistently carrying billions of dollars of debt | 12 | | has negative impacts on the State and is a drain on our State's | 13 | | resources in numerous ways, including the application of scarce | 14 | | resources to interest payments rather than vital programs and | 15 | | services; a negative impact on Illinois' credit rating; | 16 | | consistent challenges to institutions and service providers in | 17 | | long-term planning; and a lack of confidence in government by | 18 | | many citizens of this State; therefore, be it
| 19 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 20 | | NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | 21 | | urge the General Assembly to implement the following budgeting | 22 | | practices:
| 23 | | (1) the Illinois General Assembly should apply any |
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| 1 | | revenues which exceed expenditures to the payment of any | 2 | | old bills that are more than 45 days past the due date, | 3 | | including General Revenue Fund and non-General Revenue | 4 | | Fund expenditures, at the close of each fiscal year; and | 5 | | (2) if there are no pending bills over 45 days past the | 6 | | due date at such a time, such revenues should be directed | 7 | | to the Budget Stabilization Fund (30 ILCS 122 et seq.), | 8 | | also known as the "Rainy Day Fund"; and be it further | 9 | | RESOLVED, That we urge the Illinois General Assembly to | 10 | | provide for the use and maintenance of the Budget Stabilization | 11 | | Fund, to be funded as follows:
| 12 | | (1) should the growth in the annual revenue estimate | 13 | | exceed 3% from the previous year's estimated revenues, such | 14 | | excess amount should be appropriated "off the top" of | 15 | | estimated available revenues to the Budget Stabilization | 16 | | Fund; and | 17 | | (2) should no unpaid bills remain due over 45 days at | 18 | | the close of each fiscal year, the Illinois General | 19 | | Assembly should apply any revenues which exceed | 20 | | expenditures to the Budget Stabilization Fund.
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