Ethics and Reform

From Washington, DC to Springfield, IL it seems like everywhere you turn these days another scandal is breaking out. More than ever before the public's voice is muted by the special interest lobbyists who use campaign cash and political power to corrupt the people we trust to represent us.

The time for talking about reform is over. Now is the time for action. That's why Mike Quigley is running for Congress.

The Mike Quigley Ethics & Government Reform Agenda

Lobbying:Mike Quigley fully supports President Obama's plans to shine a light on lobbyists by centralizing lobbying information and creating an independent watchdog agency to provide oversight of lobbyists.

No-Bid Contracts: Mike will also help do the same for federal contracts and earmarks in an effort to reign in wasteful spending.

Sunshine: In addition, Mike Quigley is fully supportive of the Obama Administration's efforts to make more information about government more easily accessible to more people. He will work with the new administration's Chief Technology Officer to make government documents, past and present, easily searchable and accessible to people.

The Mike Quigley Record of Accomplishment on Ethics and Government Reform

Commissioner Mike Quigley works by the words of Justice Brandeis…."Sunshine is said to be the best of disinfectants." He believes that if something is worth doing, its worth doing in the open.

Throughout his career on the County Board, Mike has always sought to live up to this motto personally and apply it across the County and Forest Preserve District. Mike's efforts have not gone unnoticed. I

n March, 2002, the Chicago Sun Times noted, "[Quigley's] well-researched and steady critiques of county government are a much needed resource for taxpayers wondering where their dollars go . . ." [Sun Times, 3/10/02] Around the same time, the Chicago Tribune wrote, [Quigley's] always investigating new approaches . . . looking for ways to improve county government, and . . . isn't afraid to speak up when he thinks something is wrong . . ." [Tribune, 3/13/02]

Ethics Reform
In 2005, Mike Quigley authored and passed two successful amendments to the County Code of Ethics.The first doubled the period during which a former County employee is barred from working for a County contractor from one year to two.The second requires bidders on County contracts to disclose political contributions and any former County employees on their staffs.

In 2007, the County Board approved Commissioner Quigley's package of ethics reforms mandating greater transparency in the property tax appeal process. It required the online posting of all appeal decisions, including property owner name, attorney name, property address, and reasoning for the decision. The process in the past had been widely criticized by the media since the decision makers would significantly lower the assessments of those well-off or well-connected individuals (or their attorneys) who donated to their campaign funds.

Inspector General
Mike authored and passed amendments to the Inspector General Ordinance granting the County's Inspector General wider authority, greater independence, and increased resources to root out corruption.

The ordinance established a six-year term of office and limited the County Board President's power of appointment by requiring him to select a nominee from three qualified candidates chosen by an outside committee.

County Vehicles
Mike sponsored many of the accountability measures contained in the County's current Vehicle Policy Ordinance, which regulates County departments purchase and operation of vehicles.

Mike's innovations included a hotline for members of the public to call to report incidents involving County vehicles, adding decals to the sides and rear of vehicles which identify them as the property of Cook County and include the hotline number, a system to create and maintain an accurate inventory of County vehicles at all times, rules for assigning vehicles to individual employees, and procedures regulating overnight use of vehicles.