Print Version: Illinois gets low grade in states report

Illinois gets low grade in states report

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SPRINGFIELD (AP) – A messy state budget picture and constant fighting at the state Capitol have earned Illinois poor marks for governmental management and performance from a public-interest watchdog group.

The Washington, D.C.-based Pew Center on the States put Illinois near the bottom of its rankings in the report released Monday covering how well the 50 states manage their money, people, information and infrastructure.

Illinois received an overall grade of C, but that’s only better than New Hampshire and Rhode Island, and tied with six other states in the ratings basement. Illinois also scored worse than the B grades received by each of its five neighboring states.

The governor’s office said the report mistakenly focused more on politics than policy. But an Illinois-based watchdog group praised the report for vindicating its past warnings about an assortment of state government problems.

“At a C, we’re overrated,” said Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. “We just haven’t gotten it right.”

The Pew Center determined that Illinois had weaknesses in nine of the 20 areas in which it was judged. It found a strength in only one category: the state’s online services and information available to the public.

Weaknesses included the state’s budget process, long-term money outlook, training and development for workers, and lack of a statewide program for road, school and other construction projects.

The group noted the acrimony between state lawmakers and Gov. Rod Blagojevich that dominated last year.

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