Reis Demands Greater Accountability on Behalf of TaxpayersMay 5, 2005
Springfield…. State Representative David Reis (R-Ste. Marie) has joined his fellow House Republicans in calling for greater legislative oversight over the Illinois Department of Central Management Services. The demand for greater accountability comes in response to an audit of the agency that found conflict of interest, waste, inefficiency, and questionable bidding and reimbursement practices, practices that reportedly cost Illinois taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Reis said the audit further found that CMS awarded contracts to political insiders who had been paid by CMS to help prepare the same contracts. “The auditor general’s report on CMS practices were very disturbing,” Reis said. “It is greatly upsetting that while I am working to find more dollars for my local schools and service providers, CMS is wasting the very taxpayer dollars we should be putting into our classrooms and to care for our most vulnerable citizens.”
Reis added that waste cannot be tolerated in the best of fiscal times, but it truly jeopardizes the delivery of critical services in the tightest of fiscal times. “Representatives from both sides of the aisle are upset by this. We are hoping for bi-partisan support for sound, reasonable efforts to promote fiscal responsibility and protect precious taxpayer dollars,” said Reis.
The House Republican Oversight Proposal includes:
Ensuring the Executive Inspector General’s (EIG’s) investigates not only CMS and its procurement process but also any similar violations by any other state agency.
Requiring the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability to oversee CMS and its recommendations for changes in the CMS procurement process.
Creating a Special Task Force to assess the CMS bidding process and make recommendations to streamline the process and remove insider influence.
Requesting the Attorney General investigate whether any criminal statutes were violated and to determine if CMS employees were directed to conduct a retaliatory investigation of the Office of Auditor General.
Requesting each agency to report independently to CGFA on their CMS billings for “consolidation efficiencies”.
The 108th District Representative added that taxpayers deserve to know how much each agency paid to CMS for consolidation efficiencies and whether or not any savings were realized. “It is my understanding that CMS has required some agencies to pay close to $10 million dollars in efficiency payments, purportedly to allow CMS to consolidate purchasing to save money,” said Reis. “Several agencies, including the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Human Services, Aging and Corrections have recently requested supplemental appropriations for this fiscal year in order to make ends meet. We need to know if there is a correlation between CMS requiring efficiency payments from these agencies and their subsequent need for additional budget funding.”
“This is taxpayer money,” said Reis. “We need to send the message that sweetheart deals and intimidation will not be tolerated where our hard-earned dollars are at stake.”
The House Republicans have also sent a letter to Attorney General Lisa Madigan requesting her office commence an investigation into the improprieties identified in the Auditor General’s audit of CMS.
