Open Illinois.org

The Illinois Policy Institute recently launched IllinoisOpenGov.org, a site that allows concerned citizens to track how the state spends their tax dollars.  This new resources provides information on state spending, including salary and benefit information, in a clear format and allows people to download reports as well.  One area of spending that jumped out involved the hiring of entertainment for the State Fair in 2008.

In 2008, the Illinois Department of Commerce spent $25,900 on hiring entertainment in the form of musicians, dancers, and other performers for the Ethnic Village at the 2008 State Fair.  The most expensive entertainer was Keith McEachron, who cost taxpayers $3,600.  The next most costly individual was Timothy J. Delaney, whose service as a percussionist cost taxpayers $2,400. On the other end of the spectrum, the state paid the Springfield International Folk Dancers only $200 for their services, suggesting the state is more than capable of hiring quality entertainment at an affordable price.

Whether the state should be spending tax dollars on entertainment for fairs in Springfield is open to debate, but it seems clear the State could spend less and shop around for the best deal on every purchase, including entertainers.

You can find this spending by going to “Checks to Business and Individuals” and scrolling down to “Entertainer at 2008 IL State Fair Ethnic Village” in the spending category.