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Community Corner

Rep. Sandack Votes to Extend Subpoena Powers to IL Audit Commission to Investigate NRI Program

The Illinois Legislative Audit Commission has joined the list of authorities that are actively investigating Governor Pat Quinn’s troubled Neighborhood Recovery Initiative (NRI) program. After the 10-1 vote this week to authorize a rarely-used provision for subpoena powers by the commission, State Representative Ron Sandack (R-Downers Grove) issued the following statement:

“As a member of this bicameral, bipartisan commission, I put my full support behind the decision on Tuesday to grant subpoena powers to our commission so we can get to the bottom of the allegations of waste, fraud and abuse within the NRI program.

“This $55 million initiative was launched by Quinn in October of 2010, less than one month before his last election. CNN later reported that Chicago kids were paid $8.25 per hour to walk in a parade with Governor Quinn before that election as part of the NRI program. This suggests that the program may have been transformed into a political slush fund.

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“At a minimum, the NRI program was mismanaged with no oversight or accountability. The fact that significant funds from the program are completely unaccounted for is also particularly troubling. As a legislator, we have a duty to dig deeper into the allegations and take whatever steps are necessary to expose any wrong-doing and protect Illinois taxpayers.”

Click below to see a video of Sandack’s comments prior to the commission’s vote. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXSWLnrSeFc).

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