Brady Calls for Public Disclosure of State’s Unpaid Bills

 Legislation would require Comptroller to make public who and what state owes

Illinois Senator Bill Brady, Republican candidate for Governor, unveiled legislation today that would require Illinois’ Comptroller to post the state’s bills from vendors online and pay them in the order in which they are received.  

“We need a clean break from the politics and policies of the past,” said Brady of Bloomington.  “Governor Quinn says he advocates open government but there is nothing open about the way our state currently pays its bills.”  

Under Brady’s proposal, state agencies would have ten days to submit a bill to the Comptroller for payment or return it to the vendor if corrections or adjustments are needed.  The Comptroller would then be required to pay the bill in the order in which it was received, except in emergency payment situations in which the Governor, Comptroller and Treasurer could agree to move a bill ahead in line.  

“We need to ensure the process for paying vendors is fair,” said Brady.  “We also need to safeguard against any potential favoritism in the payment system.  We are delaying payments and balancing the budget on the backs of vendors who provide essential state services, Many of the state’s vendors are being forced to borrow on their own to cover operating expenses because the state is lagging in meeting its fiscal obligations.  Those vendors deserve to know where they fall in the line of payments and have at least an estimate of when they will be paid.”

 
Furthermore, Brady’s proposal would require the Comptroller to post all state bills on its website within five days of receipt.  The bills would be posted in the order they are received, as well as searchable by date and name of vendor.  

“With $3 billion in unpaid bills, I believe Illinois residents have a right to know what the state owes, how much and to whom we owe it,” said Brady.  “On the same note, vendors are entitled to know when they will be paid and that the system for payment is fair.”

Brady will introduce the legislation to the General Assembly and is also calling on Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes to take action on his own.    

“I don’t think we should have to wait for legislation to be passed,” said Brady.  “I think the Comptroller should post this information on the internet today, because it is the right thing to do for the good of Illinois.”