The General Assembly broom was quite busy during their September 2008 “Sweep-stakes.” The General Assembly’s Commission on Forecasting and Accountability publishes a monthly newsletter
(http://www.ilga.gov/commission/cgfa2006/Upload/0706revenue.pdf) When fund sweeps were done in fiscal 2007, the Commission’s newsletter actually produced a table showing the dollar amount of each fund, the amount being swept, and the balance. Fast forward to 2008, and the Commission only published a table showing the amount being taken from the designated till, with no indication of how much is left in the balance (http://www.ilga.gov/commission/cgfa2006/Upload/0908revenue.pdf).
Here are some more funds that have taken a hit in the most recent funds sweep:
AG Whistleblower Reward & Protection: $8,250,000
State Police Whistleblower Reward and Protection: $2,000,000
Illinois Clean Water: $5,000,000
Hazardous Waste: $1,000,000
Environmental Protection Trust: $250,000
Environmental Protection Permit and Inspection: $1,500,000
IL Habitat Endowment Trust$: $2,000,000
IL Habitat: $1,000,000
Natural Heritage Endowment Trust: $250,000
EPA Special State Projects Trus: t$1,000,000
Solid Waste Management: $2,000,000
The list goes on an on, but it’s easy to see that funds that are for the environment and to protect whistleblowers are easy pickings. That is no surprise in our pay2play state.
Adding insult to injury, these funds do not have to be repaid, thanks to Public Act 94-0839, which “eliminated the mandatory repayment from selected fund sweeps to the GRF if there is insufficient money coming into the fund.” (SOURCE:Commission on Forecasting and Accountability, July 2006 Newsletter)
