HR0553LRB099 12647 GRL 36316 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has failed to consistently
3budget in a way that provides fiscal stability and employs a
4long-term approach to Illinois' financial health; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The State lacks the fiscal stability necessary to
6adequately attract and retain new jobs at the levels necessary
7to support robust economic growth; this lack of stability
8drives up costs of providing critical services and programs for
9Illinois residents; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The lack of consistent long-term budget
11strategies, combined with the recent fiscal downturn, have led
12to a perpetual cycle of crisis budgeting; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Crisis-driven budgeting has led to a focus on
14short-term needs, rather than the long-term needs of the State;
15and
 
16    WHEREAS, The instability of Illinois' fiscal situation
17limits the ability of the State to adequately fund education,
18provide for critical human services to those most in need, and
19address unpaid bills; and
 
20    WHEREAS, An evaluation of the quality and efficacy of

 

 

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1programs and services provided by the State must be an integral
2part of the appropriations process; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Budget efforts should be focused on best practices
4and the most cost-effective approach for the provision of
5essential programs and services, rather than the crisis-driven
6decision making currently employed; therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
8NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
9urge the General Assembly to implement the following budgeting
10practices to standardize the annual budget process as follows:
11        (1) set an annual revenue estimate, after examination
12    of the estimates of the Governor's Office of Management and
13    Budget and the Commission on Government Forecasting and
14    Accountability;
15        (2) allocate non-discretionary items "off the top" of
16    the estimate of available revenues before dividing the rest
17    of the revenue proportionately among the appropriations
18    committees; and
19        (3) create an "Executive Appropriations Committee"
20    comprised of the chairs and minority spokespersons of each
21    appropriations committee as well as the chair of the
22    Revenue Committee, which shall be charged with setting the
23    amounts to be allocated to each appropriations committee
24    and any subsequent reallocation of such funds; and be it

 

 

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1    further
 
2    RESOLVED, That we urge the General Assembly to not approve
3the expenditure of funds for new programs and services without
4providing an examination of the cost/benefit analysis of said
5program or service and a finding that the addition of the new
6program or service provides significant long-term benefit to
7the State's fiscal health by realizing cost savings or meets an
8overriding public policy need; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That we urge the General Assembly to conduct such
10an analysis at the committee level, with each substantive and
11appropriations committee creating a working subcommittee to
12consider such measures and evaluate the aforementioned
13criteria.