June 23, 2017

The Honorable Bruce V. Rauner

Governor, State of Illinois
207 State House
Springfield, IL 62706

Dear Governor Rauner:

I am writing to respectfully request that you sign House Bill 3649 into law. This legislation, which
received bipartisan support in both chambers, is much needed during these difficult financial times with
a backlog of unpaid bills that has skyrocketed to $15 billiona staggering figure that has nearly tripled
since 2015.

Specifically, House Bill 3649 requires each state agency to report to the Comptroller the amount of bills
being held, whether the liabilities are appropriated, and those liabilities subject to prompt payment
penalties.

My office estimates that a staggering $6.5 billion worth of overdue bills are at the agency level because
of lack of appropriation or processing delays. These bills are projected to cost taxpayers at least $800
million in interest penalties by the end of the fiscal year. Unfortunately, the amount of bills being held
by the agencies is only an estimate from our office, which is why House Bill 3649 is so important.

This proposal, which is supported by the Better Government Association, will provide your office, the
Comptroller, legislators, and, most importantly, taxpayers, with a more accurate accounting of our bill
backlog and accruing prompt payment penalties. It is essential that we know what the State of Illinois
owes to its small businesses, human service organizations, health care providers, schools and the
thousands of vendors who are desperately waiting to be paid for the work they have done.

Now, more than ever, it is crucial that policymakers and the public have all the relevant information
needed to make informed decisions regarding this fiscal crisis. Thank you for your consideration. I
would be happy to speak with you about this proposal in more detail, and I look forward to working with
your agencies to implement this important reform.

Sincerely,

Susana A. Mendoza