It has been another turbulent year in Springfield, and once again we are approaching the end of the fiscal year with no permanent budget plan in place.

In order to keep state government functioning and social service programs operational, I have joined my Senate Republican colleagues in proposing a temporary “bridge” budget. This bridge budget would prevent the lay-offs and devastating cuts to the state’s human service programs that have been advanced by Gov. Pat Quinn and the state’s Democrat majority.

Adopting a temporary budget at the previous fiscal year’s levels would not only give lawmakers more time to identify viable areas to cut and scale-back state spending, it would also give us more time to adopt the meaningful structural, ethical and fiscal reforms that are critical to getting Illinois back on the path to fiscal solvency.

Gov. Quinn spent the last month traveling the state, warning of severe cuts to the state’s human service programs. His efforts unnecessarily incited fear and anger in those who rely on these services. The decision to slash funding to the state’s service providers was based on political strategy--not responsible budgeting. Democrats chose to severely cut human services as a way to generate public backlash and create pressure to pass an increase in the state income tax.

The drastic measure generated a public outcry, but does nothing to advance a responsible solution or address the underlying problems facing Illinois government.

People demand alternatives, and I believe a bridge budget is a reasonable option until a permanent budget can be negotiated. While it will still require sacrifice, it will allow Illinois to move forward and identify solutions to the problems underlying Illinois’ structural and fiscal problems.

Despite the obstacles Illinois is facing, rest assured that I will continue to be an advocate for integrity and fiscal responsibility in state government.

DuPage County Sheriff John E. Zaruba was elected Tuesday to the highest elected position a sheriff can achieve — president of the National Sheriffs' Association. Zaruba, who will be sworn in Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will serve as the spokesman and representative for more than 3,000 sheriffs nationwide.

"I am both humbled and proud of being elected to this most prestigious position and am eager to serve with the same energy and integrity I serve the citizens of DuPage County," Zaruba said in a news release.

Instead of pointing fingers and blaming political opponents about the high jobless numbers in Illinois, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, R-IL, is attempting to help his constituents find employment. No, he's not appointing people to various government positions, Kirk has organized the first 10th Congressional District Job Fair.

The job fair will be held Monday at Harper College in Palatine with more than 20 area employees expected to participate. The job fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Wojcik Conference Center.

Companies expected to attend include:

• Abbott
• American Hotel Register
• Astellas
• U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
• CF Industries
• Chicago Botanic Garden
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Exelon
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Hewitt Associates
• Hollister Incorporated
• Integrys Energy
• Medline
• Metra
• Motorola
• Naval Station Great Lakes
• Northrop Grumman
• Pace Bus
• Rauland-Borg
• Siemens
• Takeda
• Underwriters Laboratories
• UPS
• Walgreens
• Zebra Technologies

U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL), launched the  Medi-Fraud Alert, a forum to discuss the massive waste, fraud and abuse in the current Medicare and Medicaid systems. Roskam's forum was announced today.

Some estimates predict that healthcare fraud and abuse could be as high as $500 billion every year, Roskam said.

"Waste, fraud and abuse in our current government healthcare programs is shockingly high and places an enormous burden on both the U.S. taxpayer and our healthcare system," said Roskam. "As we move forward with healthcare reform, it's simply nonsensical that we'd create an exponentially larger government-run healthcare system when our current one is plagued with such waste and fraud. When dead doctors, illegal immigrants, and convicted repeat offenders are filing medical claims, and getting paid by the U.S. taxpayer, we have an urgent problem on our hands - one that affects all Americans and requires action. The Medi-Fraud Alert will help inform the public about the severe problems in our current systems and outline ways to move forward in reforming healthcare."

The facts surrounding Medicare and Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse are staggering. According to the FBI, there could be $226 billion in healthcare fraud yearly - 10 percent of all healthcare claims. 2 Between 2000 and 2007 alone, dead doctors were paid $92 million in Medicare claims for services or equipment ordered.

Medicare Fraud is so easy and rampant that the Chief Counsel to the Health and Human Services Inspector General went so far to say that "building a Medicare fraud scam is far safer than dealing in crack or dealing in stolen cars, and it's far more lucrative."

The Medi-Fraud Alert will highlight healthcare's waste and abuse with a Medi-Fraud example of the day and highlight policy prescriptions for reforming and clamping down on this abuse. The Medi-Fraud Alert blog is also forthcoming.