Johnson J. Thomas - Fixing Illinois: politics and policy in the prairie state

W e begin by acknowledging major financial support from the Illinois Fiscal Policy Council, the 501(c)(3) education and research affiliate of the Taxpayers Federation of Illinois, without which this project would not have been possible.

David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University, and Ronald Michaelson, visiting professor of political science at the University of Illinois, Springfield, read an early draft of the manuscript and made numerous important criticisms and suggestions that have improved the final product significantly. Zachary Stamp and Gary Koch, both longtime observers of Illinois government and politics, also read the complete manuscript in draft form and contributed materially to the final product.

We could not have written the chapter on infrastructure without the knowledge and guidance of Linda Wheeler, retired director of policy and planning at the Illinois Department of Transportation, although the recommendations in the chapter, as throughout the book, are the authors alone.

Jim Nowlan thanks Len (Rob) Small, president of the Small Newspaper Group, for permission to draw excerpts from Nowlan's weekly columns in that chain of newspapers for inclusion in the book. In addition, Janet Kamerer and the staff at the Toulon Public Library did a terrific job of procuring books through interlibrary loan for Jim Nowlan's use.

Others with whom we have talked and from whom we learned include, in alphabetical order, Frank Beal, Less Boucher, Bob Brock, Kirsten Carroll, Lori Clark, Michael Clark, Linda Daley, Natalie Davila, Kurt DeWeese, Theresa Eagleson, Sue Ebetsch, Josh Evans, Julie Farmer, Randy Fritz, Raul Garza, Julie Hamos, Daniel Hankiewicz, John Hartnett, Adam Horst, George Hovanec, Loren Iglarsh, Jonathan Ingram, Jeff Johnson, Cristopher Johnston, Robert Kaestner, Lynnae Kapp, Gene Keefe, Richard King, Robert Kjellander, Mike Klemens, Clayton Klenke, Representative David Leitch, Ann Louisin, Debra Matlock, Jeff Mays, Steve McClure, Jess McDonald, Dea Meyer, Ron Michaelson, Rich Miller, Fred Montgomery, Don Moss, Patrick Mullen, Nancy Nelson, Stephen Newell, Nick Palazzolo, Howard Peters, Jon Pickering, Lance Pressl, Robert Powers, Kristina Rasmussen, Mary Barber Reynolds, Robert Rich, Gail Ripka, Jan Sams, Steve Sams, Marvin Schaar, Gregg Scott, Jay Dee Shattuck, Eric Shields, Charles Snyder, Jeff Stauter, Senator Heather Steans, Janelle Steffen, Carl Stover, Janet Stover, Kara Teeple, David Tretter, Don Udstuen, and Dick Westfall. The authors apologize to any contributors whose names have been inadvertently left off this list.

Kellie Cookson and Courtney Flanders at the Illinois Fiscal Policy Council in Springfield provided invaluable support in the preparation of the manuscript. We also thank Willis Regier, director of the University of Illinois Press, for his support and guidance throughout the project. In addition, Jane Zanichkowsky did a superb job of editing the final manuscript that has improved the clarity and readability of the book markedly.

The many suggestions made in the following chapters, as well as errors of fact and interpretation, are those of the authors alone.

James Nowlan served two terms in the Illinois House of Representatives and worked under three governors. He is the coauthor of Illinois Politics: A Citizen's Guide.

J. Thomas Johnson was director of the Illinois Department of Revenue and is President Emeritus of the Taxpayers Federation of Illinois.

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