DeKALB —State Sen. Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) has introduced a bill to curtail the amount public institutions pay out when paying unethical severance agreements.

The bill, known as the Government Severance Pay Act, was introduced by Cullerton April 10 and requires public institutions to include a contract that does not entitle an individual to severance pay if they are fired for misconduct, according to the act.

The Better Government Association examined severance packages for fall 2017 and found nine recent instances of golden parachute pay outs that occurred at Illinois universities, and other agencies, that cost taxpayers more than $5 million, according to an April 11 Better Government Association press release.

David Greising, Better Government Agency president and CEO, said the act protects taxpayers from six-figure payouts to public workers who have committed acts of misconduct, according to the BGA press release.

“Time and time again, government officials who are found abusing the public’s trust are allowed to walk away not just unpunished, but, in fact, rewarded,” Greising said in the release.

Cullerton opposed the Board of Trustees’ decision to grant former President Doug Baker a $617,500 severance pay after he resigned following the release of the May report by the Illinois Inspector General’s investigation into illegal hires made by the university.

“Failed administrators should not receive another single taxpayer dollar,” Cullerton said in a Dec. 6 press release.

DeKALB —State Sen. Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) has introduced a bill to curtail the amount public institutions payout when paying unethical severance agreements.

The bill, known as the Government Severance Pay Act, was introduced by Cullerton April 10 and requires public institutions to include a contract that does not entitle an individual to severance pay if they are fired for misconduct, according to the act.

The Better Government Association examined severance packages for fall 2017 and found nine recent instances of golden parachutes payouts that occurred withat Illinois universities, and other agencies, cost taxpayers more than $5 million, according to an April 11 Better Government Assocation press release.

David Greising, Better Government Agency President and CEO, said the act protects taxpayers from large six-figure payouts to public workers who have committed acts of misconduct, according to the BGA press release.

“Time and time again, government officials who are found abusing the public’s trust are allowed to walk away not just unpunished, but, in fact, rewarded,” Greising said in the release.

Cullerton opposed the Board of Trustees decision to grant former President Doug Baker a $617,500 severance pay after he resigned following the release of the May report by the Illinois Inspector General’s investigation into illegal hires made by the university.

“Failed administrators should not receive another single taxpayer dollar,” Cullerton said in a Dec. 6 press release.