From Dixon to Springfield: freshman state representative fights public corruption

State Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, is a freshman state legislator from the home of the infamous Rita Crundwell, the former Dixon Comptroller.

Brian Costin
Director of Government Reform

State Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, is a freshman state legislator from the home of the infamous Rita Crundwell, the former Dixon Comptroller. Crundwell was recently sentenced to 19 years and 7 months in prison for stealing more than $53 million from city of Dixon taxpayers over a period of 20 years.

We spoke recently with Demmer about his experience as a new legislator and his anti-corruption initiatives this year.

Illinois Policy Institute: As a freshman legislator in the Illinois House of Representatives, how have your first few months on the job been?

Demmer: It’s been a very good experience, and interesting. I’ve noticed the wide variety of topics talked about in the Legislature including transportation, public safety, pensions and the budget. It is a fast-paced, challenging environment. It’s very interesting and there’s never a dull moment.

I’m on seven different committees, including four related to health and human services and also economic development, transportation and regulation. These committees keep me very busy while I’m in Springfield.

Illinois Policy Institute: Illinois recently was rated as the third-most corrupt state in the country. Representing the Dixon area, how have local residents reacted to the Crundwell scandal and what do they want done about public corruption in state and local government?

Demmer: Being a resident of Dixon, the scandal hit very close to home. I felt the same kinds of emotions as everyone else. Initially there was a lot of shock and a feeling of broken trust. Like a lot of people, I thought, “How in the world did that happen?” While we have learned a lot we are still figuring out more details as the investigations and court cases against Crundwell continue.

We want to learn from this and make sure it doesn’t happen again. We can do this by addressing state laws, closing loopholes and hopefully preventing this from happening somewhere else in Illinois.

Illinois Policy Institute: House Bill 1561 is an anti-corruption bill you filed that addresses forgery of a government invoice or receipt. The bill has passed the Illinois House, and has yet to be voted on by the Illinois Senate. What would HB 1561 do?

Demmer: HB 1561 would provide that when a document purporting to be an invoice or receipt issued by any unit of government is forged it is a Class 2 felony. This is an upgrade from a Class 3 felony and provides for a stiffer sentence.

This type of government forgery is part of what happened in Dixon. I thought this was necessary because of the added detriment to society when the public’s trust in government is broken in a case like this.

The bill passed the House shortly before the Legislature’s spring break and I’m very hopeful for passage in the Senate. Everyone in the Legislature knows the story about the corruption scandal in Dixon and it has helped people understand the urgent need to pass a bill like this.

Illinois Policy Institute: The Illinois Policy Institute has been working directly with city of Dixon officials and local governments all across the state to help them improve online transparency by posting key financial disclosures such as audits, revenues, expenditures and contracts online.

Do you think it’s worthwhile for the state to enact online transparency standards for local governments such as those in House Bill 3312?

Demmer: I support promoting online transparency for local governments. More local governments need to do embrace online transparency. It makes sense for this information to be online. I am a co-sponsor of HB 3312 and it has bipartisan support.

Online transparency adds a layer of security to help prevent public corruption. When the information is online anyone can have access to it. Many citizens have expertise in different fields of study and can examine public information and help identify potential red flags, but only if the information is online for everyone to see.

When the information is widely available for public consumption it adds a layer of security to benefit the public. It helps deter corruption.

Illinois Policy Institute: Have you filed or co-sponsored any other anti-corruption bills in the wake of the Crundwell corruption scandal in Dixon? If so, what are the bill numbers and what would those bills do if enacted?

Demmer: Yes. House Bills 1562 and 1563 are anti-corruption bills I’ve introduced and am working on.

HB 1562 is a bill I’m working on with various groups including the Illinois Municipal League, county board members, treasurers and auditors from around the state. We are working on putting together a bill that would create meaningful oversight, best practices and accountability standards for treasurers across the state.

We’re still working on this bill and getting feedback from the various stakeholders to create stronger best practices to be applied statewide.

HB 1563 is a bill that would assess criminal felony penalties based on the amount of money obtained through official misconduct. The idea would be that the level of felony would be based on the dollar amount stolen from a government agency through official misconduct.

[State] Rep. David Harris has introduced a very similar bill, HB 2691, that was created with the help of a task force. Rather than working on two similar bills, I’ve signed on as Chief Co-Sponsor to Rep. Harris’ bill and it has unanimously passed the House Judiciary Committee and has a good chance of being passed into law.

Illinois Policy Institute: What other top issues are on your legislative agenda for 2013?

Demmer: Pension reform is the number one issue in Springfield. I’m concerned about how increased pension spending and the pension ramp will crowd out spending in other core service areas. I’ve already voted to support an adjustment to the cost-of-living adjustment, supported an increase in the retirement age and supported a cap on pensionable salaries that’s tied to Social Security.

The second item on my agenda is the state budget, of which pension reform will play a huge part in determining what happens. My sense is that Gov. Quinn’s budget plan won’t have much traction in the General Assembly. It will be one of many proposals that contribute to the process of passing a budget. We recently got a look at the projected revenue numbers and are just starting the process of formulating a budget.

Gun control is another issue that people in my district are talking a lot about. I’m a supporter of Second Amendment rights and I’m a co-sponsor of House Bill 997, a bill to legalize concealed carry in Illinois, introduced by Rep. Phelps.