Why should anyone have to pay for poor performance?

Illinoisans cannot be clearer; they do not want the state to raise taxes, any taxes, until and unless reforms are in place. Reforms that will ensure the spend-and-borrow policies of the past don’t continue. Reforms that curtail rampant abuse of state allocated grants. Reforms that encourage job growth.

Taxpayers don’t trust politicians with their money and they need proof Springfield has really changed before they give the okay to increase revenue.

It’s a fair request. After all...

• Governor Quinn told us the temporary income tax would balance the budget and pay off old bills. But it didn’t.

• Taxpayers were told the lottery revenue would increase funding for education. But it didn’t.

• We all were told state grants would go to violence prevention in Chicago. But it didn’t.

Illinoisans understandably want leaders in Springfield to clean up their act before they give them more of their hard earned money to spend.

The Governor has indicated he’d consider increased revenues but only if much needed reforms are implemented. House Republicans agree, we cannot ask taxpayers to foot the bill for a broken system.

Still, the Democrat-controlled legislature continues to look to tax hikes as the only solution to the state’s budget problems and doesn’t want to consider reforms. They drag them out one at a time and tell us there are people who can afford the tax. But, that’s not the point. Why should anyone have to pay for poor performance?

Let’s work together to balance the budget and implement real reforms that will make Illinois great again. Then we’ll be able to prove we are good stewards of taxpayer dollars and earn the trust of Illinois residents.