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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)
3 Division of Aeronautics Bureau of Air Operations operates a
4 Springfield-Chicago and Chicago-Springfield shuttle service
5 between Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield and
6 Midway Airport in Chicago and also provides additional flight
7 services upon request for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
8 members of the General Assembly, Judges of the Supreme Court,
9 Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, Treasurer,
10 and others, as provided by IDOT; and
 
11     WHEREAS, According to a 2007 audit by the State of Illinois
12 Office of the Auditor General, the fleet of aircraft used by
13 IDOT for the shuttle service and additional flight services
14 consists of 4 Beechcraft King Air airplanes and 2 Sikorsky
15 helicopters; and
 
16     WHEREAS, The 2007 Auditor General report found that IDOT
17 charged users of the State's aircraft $59.86 for a one-way
18 shuttle flight between Springfield and Chicago, and the amount
19 charged to users only covered approximately 14.3 percent of the
20 actual expense to the State; and
 
21     WHEREAS, The 2007 Auditor General report found that the
22 approximate cost of operating the IDOT fleet was $20,000,000

 

 

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1 from 2003-2006; and
 
2     WHEREAS, The 2007 Auditor General report estimated that
3 IDOT would need to charge approximately $270.10 for a one-way
4 flight between Springfield and Chicago to cover the actual cost
5 of operating the aircraft; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Flights between Springfield and Chicago are
7 currently offered by commercial airlines, such as United
8 Airlines; and
 
9     WHEREAS, The 2007 Auditor General Report found that IDOT
10 did not include all costs of operating the State's aircraft in
11 its cost reports, and IDOT has not fully analyzed the cost
12 effectiveness of its air operation or the optimal fleet size
13 needed; and
 
14     WHEREAS, A detailed breakdown of the actual costs of the
15 air transportation services provided by IDOT is not easily
16 obtainable; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Governor Quinn has estimated that the State of
18 Illinois is expected to face an $11 billion deficit for fiscal
19 years 2009 and 2010; and
 
20     WHEREAS, The Commission on Government Forecasting and

 

 

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1 Accountability is charged with the duty to study and recommend
2 State fiscal and economic policies to improve the functioning
3 of State government and the economy of the various regions
4 within the State by Section 3 of the Commission on Government
5 Forecasting and Accountability Act; therefore, be it
 
6     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
7 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
8 instruct the Commission on Government Forecasting and
9 Accountability to study the actual costs associated the
10 Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Division of
11 Aeronautics Bureau of Air Operation's Springfield-Chicago and
12 Chicago-Springfield shuttle service between Abraham Lincoln
13 Capital Airport in Springfield and Midway Airport in Chicago
14 and additional flight services provided upon request of State
15 employees and officials, and perform a cost-benefit analysis to
16 determine whether such air transportation services is an
17 efficient use of State revenue; and be it further
 
18     RESOLVED, That the Commission on Government Forecasting
19 and Accountability analyze the actual costs of the air
20 transportation services provided by IDOT by breaking down the
21 costs of personnel, fuel, maintenance, insurance, landing fees
22 charged by each airport, and other costs associated with the
23 transportation services; and be it further
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, That the Commission on Government Forecasting
2 and Accountability analyze the actual costs of the air
3 transportation services provided by IDOT by breaking down the
4 costs attributable to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
5 legislative leaders of the General Assembly, members of the
6 General Assembly, Judges of the Supreme Court, Attorney
7 General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, Treasurer, and other
8 users; and be it further
 
9     RESOLVED, That the Commission on Government Forecasting
10 and Accountability analyze whether it would be more cost
11 efficient for the State to sell the aircraft used by IDOT for
12 transportation of State employees and officials, except for one
13 State aircraft to be used for the essential travel of the
14 Governor, and requiring State employees and officials in need
15 of air transportation services to be reimbursed for travel on
16 commercial airlines, rather than IDOT providing the services;
17 and be it further
 
18     RESOLVED, That the Commission on Government Forecasting
19 and Accountability shall submit a report of its findings and
20 recommendations to the General Assembly on or before January 1,
21 2011.