August 26, 2015

To the Honorable Members of

The Illinois Senate,

99th General Assembly:

Today I veto Senate Bill 374 from the 99th General Assembly, which would effectively exempt townships from competitive bidding requirements for township contracts.

Transparency is vital for good governance. It is also important that citizens perceive the government as trustworthy. Competitive bidding ensures that units of local government are getting the best price for services and that taxpayer funds are being used effectively. Consequently, permitting a township to circumvent the competitive bidding process is a step in the wrong direction for government transparency and conserving taxpayer dollars.

Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 374, “AN ACT concerning local government”, with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.

Sincerely,

Bruce Rauner

GOVERNOR