Chambana Sun

Veteran state Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) has no doubt what stands at the top of his to do list whenever lawmakers are able to return to session in Springfield.

“Anyone that’s ever been in the General Assembly or has done business with the state understands how imperative it is that we clean things up,” Caulkins told the Chambana Sun. “Ridding ourselves of all the corruption is the only way we’re really going to be able to turn things around for Illinois.”

A new University of Illinois at Chicago analysis finds that the state’s culture of corruption annually costs taxpayers in the neighborhood of $556 million. Researchers also noted Illinois ranks as the second-most corrupt state in the country (behind Louisiana) and Chicago is the most corrupt city in the U.S., all of which goes a long way in crippling the state’s chances for economic growth.

Over the last two decades, researchers also found the state’s corruption price-tag easily tops $10 billion, or around $830 per resident.

“Unless we get busy attacking these problems by instituting things like term limits on leadership, stopping politicians from becoming lobbyists, and taking the gloves off the hands of our inspector general, things will get worse before they get better,” Caulkins added. “It’s time we got serious about putting the welfare of the people of this state before everything else.”

Caulkins concedes not much of what he thinks needs to happen truly can until embattled House Speaker Mike Madigan is removed from power.

“I see where we’re even up to 53 Democratic lawmakers now asking for him to step down,” he said. “We’ll see. I know he still has millions to buy the loyalty of members of House and those from other county organizations. The bottom line is he still controls a huge war chest and I presume he’s now using that to shore up support for himself.”