Mike Phillips, (D-Lostant), has called for the State of Illinois to make the budget more accessible so citizens can see where their tax dollars are spent.  Phillips is running for the 106th Illinois House seat.

“As I travel around the district, many people have asked me what I plan to do about funding for local schools, nursing homes, roads, pensions, and a variety of other things for which the State assumes responsibility.  It is clear that people want to know where the money goes and why important areas do not appear to be receiving the funding they deserve.”

Phillips currently serves on the Lostant School Board where he is Board President and a member of the finance committee.  He believes that the more open a budgeting process is, the more likely citizens are to support it.

Phillips explained that the easiest way to inform citizens is at tax time.  “Each year, Illinois sends out tax forms to most of the households in the State.  Why not add a few pages outlining current budget expenditures?  This would tell everyone where their tax dollars are going and might even ease some of the anxiety most people feel when they send a check to Springfield.”

Phillips said there should be a link to the budget on the front page of the state’s web page.  The web information would show the current budget and be regularly updated.  The budget site would be in an easy-to-understand format and could be a great resource for students and taxpayers alike.

Phillips also suggested that legislative newsletters, which are paid for by the state, should always include a section on budget issues.  Residents should know how much they are paying and how much is coming back to the district.

“Informing the voters with respect to this key aspect of state governance would bring them back into the process.  Citizens would be able to suggest changes based on facts instead of conjecture.  My opponent recently used our tax dollars to send out a report on district and Springfield activities; unfortunately, there was nothing about the taxes we pay or the money spent in the district, so we remain in the dark.”

The Phillips campaign is looking forward to participating in a series of public forums where he can discuss the issues facing the area with incumbent Keith Sommer (R-Morton, IL).  The 106th Illinois House District covers portions of LaSalle, Livingston, McLean, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties in central Illinois.  Anyone interested in finding out more can visit Phillips’s campaign web site at www.phillipsforhouse.com.