Washington, D.C. – The Illinois Policy Institute (IPI), Illinois’s only state-focused free-market think tank, in conjunction with the nation’s premiere taxpayer watchdog, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), will hold a press conference on Wednesday, June 6 to release the Illinois Piglet Book, a detailed analysis of $600 million in wasteful spending in the state’s budget. 

WHAT:          Illinois Piglet Book Release

WHO:           Illinois Policy Institute and Citizens Against Government Waste

WHEN:          Wednesday, June 8, 2005 at 10 a.m.      

WHERE:       Illinois State Capitol

Statehouse Blue Room

 

Featured speakers will include: Greg Blankenship, Executive Director, IPI; Michael Van Winkle, Public Policy Director, IPI; David Williams, Vice President of Policy, CAGW.  CAGW’s mascot Porky will also be on hand.

With IPI’s inside knowledge of the Illinois state budget, the Illinois Piglet Book combines elements of two perennial CAGW publications, the Congressional Pig Book and Prime Cuts, both published annually and dealing with federal government pork and waste.  The Illinois Piglet Book touches on some of the many areas in the state budget where wasteful spending can be eliminated, providing a valuable resource to legislators and concerned taxpayers.

Whether it is $37.6 million for the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, more than $27 million for the Sparta World Shooting Complex, or $150,000 for the development of grapes and wine, there are enough examples in the Illinois Piglet Book to make any hardworking Illinois taxpayer weep. 

Hard copies will be distributed at the press conference.  The report will also be available online at www.cagw.org and www.illinoispolicyinstitute.org.  For answers to questions about the press conference or to order a hard copy, please contact Tom Finnigan at (202-467-5309, media@cagw.org) or Michael Van Winkle (708-289-3136, mike@illinoispolicyinstitute.org).

IPI is a nonprofit think tank seeking to preserve and strengthen critical societal institutions in Illinois through the promotion of free markets and limited government.  Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.