Corruption in Illinois costs each family $109 as reform stalls

Daily Herald:

Now that former Governor Rod Blagojevich is out of the way, Illinois politicians are getting back to business as usual, Chicago style.

"I don't believe we'll see any real reform in my lifetime," said Lupe Martinez, a 56-year-old crane operator, as he swept the sidewalk in front of his brick bungalow on Chicago's southwest side. "Every time we think we've elected someone who will do the right thing, they turn out to be liars and thieves."

Four months after legislators removed Blagojevich from office for abuses including an alleged attempt to sell President Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat, they are poised to reject limits on how much their leaders dole out to other lawmakers to ensure loyalty. The Illinois Senate is scheduled to vote on ethics measures today.

Researchers at the University of Illinois-Chicago tallied the price of corruption to state taxpayers: at least $500 million a year. Based on prosecution costs and estimates that 5 percent of state contracts go to the politically connected, that equals $109 per family. The total is enough to pay the average salary for 8,214 public school teachers.