ICPR STATEMENT ON PAY-TO-PLAY LEGISLATION

Cross posted from ICPR's blog, The Race is On:

Cynthia Canary, Director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, on Wednesday released the following statement in reaction to the announcement of an apparent agreement on legislative language to curb pay-to-play opportunities in Illinois state contracting:

“The reform community is encouraged by this agreement to combat the pay-to-play practices that have plagued Illinois for too many years. We commend all those who have worked toward consensus, and we urge swift passage by the General Assembly. State government contracts should be awarded on the basis of low prices and high quality performance, and contract decisions should not be based on big bucks contributions to a political campaign. By prohibiting campaign contributions by large contractors, Illinois can take a significant step toward reassuring the public that tax dollars are being spent fairly and the public’s business is being put first.“