Decatur, IL- State Rep Bob Flider (D-Mt. Zion) has been tapped by the Speaker of the House Mike Madigan to Chair a Bipartisan Task Force on Government Reform and Spending Reductions.

“I am very excited to have this opportunity. I have always been an advocate for reforming our government and am ready to get to work to locate and streamline the wasteful spending practices that have developed in our state,” said Flider. “With our struggling economy, and the state's revenue down, we need to explore ways to cut spending so that our essential programs can be preserved.”

The task force will focus its efforts on how to work around the structural deadlines that are imposed by the beginning and ending of the fiscal year. The goal of this task force will be to make recommendations for significant reforms, in an effort to streamline some of the wasteful spending and duplicate programs that have grown over the years.

“In speaking with state employees and human service agencies over the last few months, what I have realized is that almost every person you talked to knew of wasteful spending practices that would save the state money if they were eliminated,” said Flider. “If we can cut out and reform programs that are wasting taxpayers' money, then not only will we be able to invest in the programs that are working, but it will also help to keep our government streamlined and accountable to the citizens of Illinois.”

The Bipartisan task Force on Government Reform and Spending Reductions will begin meeting later this year. For more information on this or any of Rep. Flider's meetings and events, please contact his constituent services office at 217-428-2708.