Alexi Giannoulias on Government Reform

I streamlined & cut Treasurer's Office staff by 17%

KIRK: The economic situation for our state is terrible. [We should] return fiscal responsibility without someone bailing out even more irresponsible decisions led by the current team that runs the State of Illinois, including my opponent.

GIANNOULIAS: We've got some enormous challenges here in Illinois. I've been screaming from the rooftops as State Treasurer. We talked abou pension reform from the very beginning. Unlike Congressman Kirk who has doubled our national debt, we've actually found ways to cut our discretionary spending when needed. We've streamlined services in the State Treasurer's Office. I've cut my workforce by 17%. Congressman Kirk proudly said he voted twice for bailouts of the biggest Wall Street banks. But voted against the Recovery Act, which provides emergency stimulus and funding to states and municipalities that have been devastated.

Voice for the people, not the corporate special interests

Public election financing reduces special interest influence

Alexi will take bold action to clean up our campaign process & to ensure that Congress is committed to citizens, not its largest campaign contributors:
• Alexi is the first US Senate candidate in Illinois history to refuse campaign contributions fro federal lobbyists & corporate PACs.
• Alexi supports making government more transparent. He firmly believes that an open government will help restore the public's trust in elected officials & make it easier for taxpayers to hold leaders accountable.
• Alexi would spearhead the effort to create a public "contracts and influence" database, to track campaign contributions made by government contractors and the services they provide.
• Alexi will work to dramatically increase lobbyist disclosure requirements.
• Across the country, states and local governments have implemented publicly financed campaigns. Public financing of elections limits runaway spending and reduces the influence of special interest money in the campaign process.

Wasteful programs go hand-in-hand with campaign contributors