I learn so much from you, my constituents, when you call, visit or e-mail my office or speaking to your group. I also learn much from the thirty minutes of reading I do each day while I ride my stationary bike. I also learn from Beasley, my way-overweight Dalmatian and from Spanky, my wound-up Jack Russell Terrier with scraggly wire hair (I didn’t think there could be such an ugly Jack Russell terrier, but after we lost our Wishbone, this is what we got from the Jack Russell Rescue).

Here is a novel thought from the book I am currently reading: “100 People Who Are Screwing Up America” by Bernie Goldberg; it’s a quote from William F. Buckley (who is definitely not one of the 100) “I’d rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than the faculty of Harvard University.”  Similarly, I would rather turn over the reins of Illinois government to the last 177 people who have contacted me, than to be a part of failing to fix our financial crisis.

Why would I choose the last 177 who have contacted me? You are citizens concerned about issues, not about “protecting your seat” (not to be confused with covering your – - -. You would objectively and fairly assess our situation, and simply conclude that this cannot go on.

I recently visited the home of Nancy Stevens, a teacher from Winnebago. I spoke with Nancy along with several of her fellow teachers and Superintendent Dr. Dennis Harezlak about the state’s bleak financial picture after which they asked me “Jim, are the 177 members of the General Assembly ready to make the radical changes necessary?” I responded “We’d better be, or we deserve to be gone.”

Several days ago I spoke at a morning meeting of the Freeport Kiwanis where several of the members brought up an interesting idea. They agreed that we have a problem with multi-generational welfare in Illinois. They also noted that if you are unemployed, but want to work, you will lose all of your unemployment benefits if you accept even a job paying minimum wage. How about returning people to the workforce with the state, at least temporarily, paying the difference between the lower minimum wage and the higher unemployment benefits? Can we make that happen, they asked. It’s sure worth a try.

And what is it that I learn from my dogs? Beasley, my Dalmatian is old and fat, and also insanely loyal. It’s that type of loyalty I owe to you in listening to your concerns and advocating on your behalf. Recently, I spoke with a gentleman who admitted that he hadn’t contacted my office about an issue because he’s a Democrat. I couldn’t believe it. Partisanship is not something engaged in by me or any member of my staff.  We are here to serve you. It bears repeating: “Representative” means to represent you. That is our mandate and our commitment.

Then there is Spanky; wound like a 7-day clock. She makes the energizer bunny seem like a sleepy old hound. You have allowed me to serve you these past 7-plus years and I owe you Spanky’s level of enthusiasm and commitment.

Returning to Springfield on February 3^rd, will not be business as usual. We are facing a staggering debt load with no clear answers, angry constituents demanding a fix and a lack of will by many legislators to make the hard decisions. No, I’m not talking about voting for a tax increase, I’m talking about reducing entitlements. I grow increasingly frustrated with those who believe “the government owes me.” Yes, we need to talk about entitlements.

My absolute favorite of the entitlement program is the free rides on mass transit for all senior citizens. I’ve talked about this one before. It was one of Rod Blagojevich’s “last hurrahs”. Legislators passed a bill bailing out the Chicago-area mass transit systems-the CTA, Metra, Pace, etc., at great expense to you, the taxpayer. Then Governor Blagojevich decided that all senior citizens would ride for free (not a part of the original bill, but an add-on that quickly breezed through the General Assembly.). That add-on cost you $70 million per year. One of my colleagues actually said to me “Why are you so upset, Sacia? It’s only $70 million.” He was serious.

I guess when a budget is more than $6 billion out-of-whack what’s another $70 million?  That’s the very point. Many of my colleagues are simply out of touch. After all, it’s an entitlement.

Do you see the issue here, folks? Many feel the government simply owes them. Well, here’s the deal: WE CAN’T AFFORD IT!

There you go again, Sacia. This is a Chicago issue. Worry about your own district. Ok. A bus ride in Freeport on Pretzel City Transit costs $2.00, unless you are a senior. Then you ride for free.  You got it. Even in the high rent district where most folks can afford a $2.00 bus ride, they still ride free. Now if that doesn’t upset you, I don’t know what would.

Two years ago no one uttered the phrase “tax increase”. Recently, even conservative businessmen are suggesting that I should consider some sort of a tax increase. Well, when we get rid of free rides for seniors and a multitude of other ridiculous “perks” I’ll give it some thought.

Don’t get me wrong, I support the previous policies of half price rides for seniors. That makes some sense. After all, I order a senior coffee when I drive through Mickey D’s and give the clerk the 54 cent discounted price.  My barbers don’t even ask anymore…they see my bifocals and realize that there isn’t much hair to cut anyway and just automatically take $1.00 off of the regular price. What bothers me about free rides for all seniors (apart from the $70 million program cost) is that it’s not means-tested. If there is a low-income senior who needs to get across town to buy groceries and truly can’t afford even the half-price fair, then I’m all for helping. What about the 18 year old on the east side of Freeport working two jobs and taking night classes at Highland College? I would much rather subsidize his free ride than a senior who can easily afford the fare.

To sum it all up, we need to quit spending money we don’t have. Free rides for all seniors, including those who can afford to pay, are just one example of many. Simply put, even a massive tax increase won’t help unless we get ridiculous spending under control.

As I begin my eighth year as your State Representative, I find myself being somewhat reflective. I’ve had some successes and I’ve had some failures. All in all, the privilege of serving you still rates at least a 26 on a scale of 1 to 10.

With our state facing the worst financial crisis in its history, each and every one of the 177 members of the General Assembly must give that issue our undivided attention. That being said, I’m compelled to comment on two very polarizing issues that have created anger from people whom I believe, but for these issues, would be very different folks.

The first issue is horse slaughter. The very term makes some folks actually shudder. For the past three years, horse slaughter has been banned in the U.S. following the closing of the Cavel Plant in DeKalb, Illinois, the last facility in the country that processed horses. Those who would have you believe that humane termination of horses in this country is not acceptable have created a monster. Just as many unwanted American horses are still being slaughtered after the closing of Cavel, but now, nearly 100,000 each year are shipped to Mexico for slaughter. The horses are packed in trailers and forced to travel over forty hours to the border. Once in Mexico, it’s another eleven hours to the slaughter plant. Is that humane?

When the ban was being debated in a House committee last year, I asked the lobbyist for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), “How can you allow this?” She responded “We believe in responsible horse ownership.” Hello! How can that possibly be an answer?

I have spent my life raising, showing and loving horses. Nine horses still have a very good life on the Pecatonica farm Jenny and I call home. Don’t even try to defend shipping horses to Mexico to me. Horses, like every other living thing, at some point, face an end of life issue. My horses will never go to slaughter, but it needs to be an option for others. It’s time to bring it back in America. And yes, I have reintroduced the legislation.

The second polarizing issue is the proposed Bos Dairy. A.J. Bos plans to bring 5,000 milk cows to the dairy county known as Jo Daviess. Did you know that Jo Daviess has lost more than 11,000 milk cows in the past twenty years?

After listening to what some of the anti-dairy folks have been saying, I now believe I have a better understanding of how McCarthyism took off in the 1950’s and witchcraft consumed people centuries ago. Misinformation and half-truths repeated often enough to enough people are eventually accepted by some as fact. The truth is that A.J. Bos and his family are as fine a people as I’ve had the privilege to meet. They know how to build a state of the art, environmentally sound facility and they have been doing just that. There is little doubt this will be a class operation in Northwest Illinois.

I have traveled the nation and visited ten state-of-the-art large dairies built in the past ten years. Every one is a show place, and is environmentally sound. Yes, the Bos Dairy will be as well.

Certainly the news of the week at the Illinois Capital was Governor Quinn’s State of the State address on Wednesday, January 13^th.

At a time when our state is experiencing its worst financial crisis ever, anticipation was high as the Governor stepped to the podium in the House of Representatives. Our chamber is the largest so protocol dictates that our Senators, along with other state elected officials pack in with us for the address. The Governor spoke for an hour and twenty minutes without a teleprompter or a written speech, glancing down only occasionally at his notes for correct pronunciation of the name of someone he wanted to acknowledge. Say what you will, that’s impressive.

Many will say the Governor’s address was little more than a campaign speech, but I see it a little differently. First and foremost, the Governor’s honesty and integrity are refreshing. Fault him politically as much as you wish, but there’s no question that he is a man who truly loves the “Land of Lincoln.” I have personally seen him demonstrate his sincerity time and time again over the past year. There is little doubt he truly wants to fix our problems.

The Governor spoke of reopening our state parks that had been closed by our former Governor (his name started with a “B”, but I’m trying hard to forget). Governor Quinn was successful in working with the General Assembly to pass a capital plan to rebuild roads, bridges and schools and to create jobs, the first comprehensive statewide capital plan in ten years. However, he failed to mention that the plan has yet to be funded, which is necessary before we can actually put people to work.

He addressed the need to help the poor and quoted a scripture passage that says “when you save one life, you save the whole world.” I’m not sure where that is in scripture, but I readily admit that I’m no Biblical Scholar.

The Governor addressed Thomson Prison and spoke of General David Petraeus telling President Obama that Gitmo must be closed, which made his decision to move forward on the sale of Thomson to the Federal Government much easier.

The Governor talked about Illinois’ rail system and specifically noted that a Chicago to Rockford and beyond line is a priority.

He went on to commend our own State Representative Roger Eddy (R-Hutsonville), a sitting school superintendent, and Jerry Mitchell (R-Sterling) for their excellent work on education reform, including “Race to the Top”, an Obama administration initiative which could create more than $400 million for Illinois’ education system. He also addressed our MAP program, college financial aid for Illinois Scholars, but again failed to mention that we have yet to fund the program.

Finally, he mentioned our severe budget crisis, noting that he has cut more than $2 billion since taking office. He did not address what I believe we were all waiting for – our $6 billion in unpaid bills owed to state providers. Many of these payments are more than 180 days in arrears.

The Governor commended the young men and women who graduate from high school and go on to serve in the military (kudos from me as well). I know personally that he has never missed a funeral for any of the 272 Illinoisans who have given their last full measure for their country in recent years. That will always speak volumes to me.

Of course, much more was said; these are simply some of the highlights. I was hoping for more from the Governor’s State of the State address. The Governor knows I will sit down with him anytime to work toward solutions to the issues important to Northwest Illinois and the state. All in all, it wasn’t bad for a guy speaking from a few handwritten notes.

Each year in December I meet with advisory groups from the education, agriculture, small business, and law enforcement as well as local mayors, county board chairs and others representing the five counties in the 89^th House District. My motive, of course, is to provide legislative support for the various organizations and groups that serve our local communities. The reality is that they provide for me tremendous insight into the uniqueness of their professions, and how the state’s actions affect their operations.

Politics is a strange creature.  We can succeed in providing remarkable help, and we can also fail miserably. This past year, more than any other in my seven years as your State Representative, our failures, not legislative but financial, really stand out.  At this writing, the state owes local health and human service organizations and other providers well over $4 billion (yes, that’s billion with a “b”). Many of these payments are 180 days past due. Each of the 177 legislators is receiving calls from local agencies and individuals owed money. We in turn are on the phone to the Comptroller’s office, saying “please, at least get us a partial payment for this group/ individual”.  Many legislators too, are facing eviction from our district offices, or have had phones or utilities cancelled because the state hasn’t paid the bills.  It’s not pretty, and we are the ones obligated to fix it. We return to Springfield next week (Tuesday, January 12th), and somehow fixing this deplorable situation is unquestionably our biggest obligation.

Ok, Sacia, so just what do you propose? First and foremost we must reduce our spending.  I shared several weeks ago how in recent years, the number of highly paid administrative officials in many state agencies has significantly increased while those actually working with the local agencies and clients have decreased in number.

Over the past six years our welfare rolls in Illinois have increased by more than 800,000 citizens. You know I support helping those deserving, but again this year I intend to introduce the same legislation I proposed last year – if you get welfare, you take a drug test.  Many working people take mandatory drug tests to keep receiving their paychecks.  It’s only fair that those receiving monthly checks at the taxpayer’s expense should do so as well.  Additionally, photos on LINK cards are a must!  This is one of the most abused services in our welfare system.  The cards are traded on the black market like children trade candy the morning after Halloween.  No one wants to say it, but more and more we are becoming a culture of multi-generation welfare recipients. Yes, there those who truly need some temporary assistance; but there are also those who simply don’t want to work and will pull every string to avoid it.

One comment I hear more and more recently is that there is a growing number of the unemployed who have given up looking for work. What???!!! You can’t drive through a fast food restaurant that isn’t advertising for “help wanted”. Ok, it’s just over $8 to $10 per hour, but its honorable work. Our system has gotten so far out of whack because it pays more to remain unemployed than it does to get back into the work force in a lower-paying job.  The late Dr. Martin Luther King said, and I’m paraphrasing here, that if you push a broom you should do it with honor and dignity.

Many state employees, myself included, are taking 12 days without pay; but not those who belong to the state labor union AFSCME; they refused to reopen negotiations on their guaranteed 3% pay hike and certainly wouldn’t take any days without pay. Talk about responding “in your face!” when asked to help out during trying times!

The League of Women Voters, the Better Government Association, Members of the Illinois Reform Commission and many others continue to push for an overhaul to the redistricting of our Legislative Districts. Here’s your opportunity folks—go to www.ilfairmap.com to get more facts. Our office will have petitions available on this very overdue and bipartisan effort to obtain the necessary 500,000 plus signatures needed by April 1^st to place this on the November 2010 ballot.

Under the current system, politicians have complete control over drawing the boundaries with few restrictions. If parties cannot agree, the balance of power for the next decade is determined by lottery. While both parties have benefitted from this system, the public has not. The current system favors incumbency and discourages competition.

The independent commission being proposed will take the power away from political leadership and eliminate their ability to draw their own district lines and it will eliminate partisan advantage.

The good government groups have a tough battle ahead of them, but they are focused and I believe it’s fair to say they “have had enough”. They must collect 500,000 signatures of registered voters (which means they will need many more because the validity of each signature will be challenged). Then they must convince the public to vote for the new amendment. Yes, my office will have petitions available and we will act as a repository for collecting them when filled. Once again, any and all information is available at www.ilfairmap.com.

Another issue that affects all of us as taxpayers and is very misunderstood is tax adjustments due to home repairs. I am amazed at the number of people who tell me they do not get required building permits to do maintenance and repairs to their homes. Most people absolutely believe that if they fix up their residence, their taxes will go up.

Simply put, if your taxes do go up, your tax assessor is in violation. Illinois law specifically states that “maintenance and repairs to residential property owned and used exclusively for a residential purpose shall not increase the assessed value of the property” (35ILCS200/10-20).

I will be at the Market House in Galena from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM on Thursday January 7, 2010. I look forward to visiting with you.

My staff and I wish all of you a Happy New Year.

Yesterday, December 15^th, was a very busy day. The announcement by the Obama administration that they are moving forward on the purchase of Thomson Correctional Center for use by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and also to house some current Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo) detainees set the stage.

My phone never stopped ringing, and I fielded more calls from reporters and participated in more interviews than any other day since being elected as your State Representative. Unquestionably, the proposed transfer of Gitmo detainees dominated the discussions.

Since Congressman Manzullo first alerted me on November 13^th about the possible sale of Thomson to the Federal Government, it has been a huge issue for me. The briefing I attended at Thomson on November 16^th cemented my opinion that the sale was in the best interest of our local communities and the state. My opinion hasn’t changed. I hold Congressman Manzullo in the highest esteem. I respect his opinion. But our conclusions on this issue are very different.

The extent of those differences were apparent in an interview on National Public Radio in which I commented that as a state legislator I have no control over the President’s decision to close Gitmo. That is a federal issue. Congressman Manzullo disagreed, saying that he believes my comments can impact public opinion.

It’s fair to say that Congressman Manzullo believes the hatred some have for Gitmo will transfer to Thomson. I don’t buy that for one minute. First and most importantly, hard core al Qaeda hates all “infidels” (that would be you and me and all Americans). They will stop at nothing to kill us all. Was it Gitmo/Thomson hatred that motivated them to attempt to blow up the World Trade Center in 1993? Was it Gitmo/Thomson that allowed them to accomplish that mission on September 11, 2001 by flying two airliners into the twin towers, killing 3000 innocent Americans? They hate us all, folks, and moving some of their kind to Thomson won’t change that. They will always come after targets of opportunity.

I have the greatest respect and admiration for and confidence in the men and women who make up the agency that was my life for 28 years-the FBI. My admiration for the CIA as an intelligence gathering agency in foreign countries and my respect for law enforcement in general give me the comfort level I need to make this decision.

What really troubles me are those who make this a partisan issue. It’s not about Republicans and Democrats. It’s about the economic impact to the area I represent and the surrounding communities. If the detainees are coming to U. S., soil my opinion is simple: bring them to Thomson.

I have nineteen resolutions from communities in Northwest Illinois supporting the sale of Thomson Correctional Center to the Federal Government. When the facility was built ten years ago, the residents of Thomson said “we are prepared to house the worst of the worst. Build us a maximum security prison.” We built it and it has remained an empty “mausoleum in a cornfield” despite promise after promise to open it. Let’s not blow this opportunity.

My staff and I wish all of you a Blessed Holiday Season.