Recently, Senator Sullivan issued the following letter to update constituents on his work to address the state's backlog of unpaid, overdue bills.
Dear Neighbors,
Not long ago, I reached out to hundreds of constituents regarding the State’s current backlog of overdue, unpaid bills. In my letter, I explained my support of the concept under discussion in Springfield to quickly pay these overdue bills through bonding. I also asked supporters to sign an online petition and to share their stories with me.
You are among the hundreds of concerned citizens who have signed that petition. Thank you. I’m pleased with the overwhelmingly positive feedback, but I’m also very concerned about the heartbreaking stories you’ve shared.
I’ve learned of preschool students who will no longer have access to pre-K programs, seniors who will no longer receive meal deliveries, and employees who will no longer have a job, all because of the State’s inability to pay its bills. I’ve heard from businesses forced to take on additional loans, re-finance existing loans, or extend lines of credit, just to keep the lights on and make payroll.
Over and over, the message is clear: unless the State pays its bills, there will be more layoffs, cuts to needed services, and burdens on already cash-strapped local organizations.
The concept of paying the bills through bonding has been met with partisan resistance in Springfield. Many Republicans have argued the state should not take on additional debt. The truth is, this debt already exists — however, it’s currently on your balance sheets instead of the State’s where it belongs.
Because the State is actually already indebted to organizations like yours, bonding does not create additional debt. Bonding does, however, shift the burden of debt from your organization back to the State.
Another attack on the proposal to pay the bills is based in criticisms of specific budget numbers.
Republicans disagree with proposed amounts of borrowing because they claim we don’t have an accurate assessment of the State’s current backlog of bills. Now, I’ve asked for that assessment.
Yesterday, I sent a letter to Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka to ask for the straight facts on the State’s current backlog of bills. While we know the State owes money to individual organizations like yours, to date, no one has asked the Comptroller for a comprehensive analysis of the total backlog. Read my letter to Comptroller Topinka, and listen to a recent interview where I discuss these issues.
I’ve asked Comptroller Topinka to provide the General Assembly with a breakdown of bills overdue by 30, 60, and more than 90 days. I’ve also asked for a categorical breakdown of how much is owed to schools, Medicaid, and social service providers.
Armed with these facts, I’m hopeful Springfield’s partisan politics will no longer block proposed solutions to pay the bills. I hope you’ll continue to support the efforts to pay the bills. I’ll do my best to keep you informed of developments in Springfield, but I would ask that you help spread the word of how critical this effort is at home. Consider contacting your other elected officials and sharing your stories with them and please forward this letter to your friends, neighbors and coworkers.
Please also continue to spread the word about my online petition at www.senatorjohnsullivan.com/paythebills.
Thanks,
State Senator John Sullivan, 47th District
Today, Senator Sullivan issued a letter to Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka asking for a firm analysis of the state's backlog of unpaid and overdue bills. 
The Quincy School Board is preparing to make personnel cuts, due in part to $3 million of unpaid bills from the State of Illinois. The 
Senator John Sullivan recently wrote a column explaining the state of Illinois' current $6 billion backlog of unpaid bills, and his support of a plan to pay those past-due bills. The column was published by the McDonough County Voice in Macomb. Read it 