SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – Gov. Bruce Rauner put together a report detailing his administration’s accomplishments days before his time as governor ends.
In a Tuesday press release, Rauner said his office has pushed economic growth in Illinois and “saved billions of dollars for taxpayers”. The report highlights four key bullet points of progress and will go to the 101st Illinois General Assembly later on during the week of Jan. 7.
In the exact words of the release, the main points include:
Education: record funding for K-12 and early childhood education and equal funding for charter schools, expanded student apprenticeships, a historic tuition scholarship tax credit, and one of the best plans in America for measuring student growth.
Economy: Record high employment, the formation of Intersect Illinois to recruit and expand businesses at no expense to taxpayers, reduced LLC fees and red tape and fewer regulatory burdens, clean energy job leadership, and dramatically expanded minority contracting with the state.
Government: Moved state services into the digital age saving billions for taxpayers, eliminated forced unionization of government employees, negotiated 22 incentive-based contracts with state unions, won a $2 billion 1115 Medicaid waiver to vault the state into pre-eminence in mental health, prevented millions in Medicaid fraud and abuse, and cut prison recidivism rates from 50% to 39%.
Politics & Ethics: Signed Executive Orders to curb lobbyist revolving doors and sexual harassment and prevent legislators arguing cases in front of the state property tax appeals board, championed term limits and fair maps and urged legislators to remove blocks to such majority supported voter initiatives.
Even with the progress Rauner talked about, he said there are things the state needs to work on.
“But if state government spending continues to grow faster than our economy, we will not be able to avoid persistent deficits, tax increases and the out-migration of jobs and families,” he said. “Unless we implement major structural reforms to cause our economy to grow faster than government, our children could face a bleak future of ever higher taxes and lost opportunity.”
Rauner said in the release he will ask the Assembly to work on building a business-friendly climate in Illinois and avoid more tax increases. He says he wants development of the University of Illinois System’s Illinois Innovation Network to be supported.
“We have some of the world’s greatest research, engineering and technology institutions in our midst,” he said. “We need to create a business climate that attracts thinkers, job creators, investors and philanthropists who key their success.”
Rauner also said he wants the creation of “empowerment zones” in certain Illinois counties, municipalities and high employment zones to end forced union membership. He believes the move will encourage thousands of businesses who currently pass on investment in Illinois to move into the state and creator more union and non-union jobs that pay well.
To increase competition, Rauner also suggested a law that drops worker’s compensation insurance costs. He said the move will bring in manufacturing and technology job creators.
“We are proud of our accomplishments and we are grateful for the bipartisan support on education and criminal justice reform,” Rauner said. “We know that the many initiatives undertaken by our administration will continue to produce major benefits for the people of Illinois for years to come. But there is so much important work yet to be done.”
Rauner will be replaced by Democrat J.B. Pritzker, who along with Lt. Gov.-elect Juliana Stratton will be sworn in on Jan. 14, 2019.
