State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) announced today that his office is returning $11,622.45 to the general fund for the state of Illinois. The office allotments for members is tracked and monitored by district staff with the help of the House Fiscal Office.
“I believe in fiscal responsibility and setting an example on handling other people’s money,” said Rep. Adam Niemerg, who is serving in his first term for the 109th district. “Spending constraints should be standard for every legislative district office, especially at a time like now when families, senior citizens, and small businesses are struggling to make ends meet from the last 17 months of shutdowns, restrictions, and unemployment.”
Legislative offices received $89,026 for the last fiscal year with just half $44,513 being available for the new district office for the newly inaugurated Rep. Niemerg. The amount returned reflects over 26 percent of the local budget being returned to taxpayers into the general fund of the state.
Rep. Niemerg points out that if all 118 state representatives and 59 state senators showed the same fiscal restraint, the state could have saved over $2 million in these last six months and an estimated $4 million for the last fiscal year. He speculated that those extra dollars could go to unemployment benefits for families that need them or more grants to struggling businesses to help keep jobs in our state.
“The crazy thing about the new budget passed for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, which I did not vote for, is the Democrat majority pushed through doubling the district office allotments from $89,026 to $178,052,” added Rep. Niemerg. “At a time when we need to be tightening our belts like families are being forced to do, the state is going the wrong direction. This is another example of failed leadership by Governor Pritzker who could have used his veto authority to eliminate this excess but he didn’t.”
