SPRINGFIELD –– Citing major traffic safety initiatives, a strong
effort to root out corruption and restore accountability, a quick
and efficient re-plating process based on streamlining the system
and efforts to make more transactions available on-line to
improve customer service, Secretary of State Jesse White released
the office’s annual report today.
"When I took office as the Secretary of State just over a
year ago, I set high standards for myself and my employees," said
White. "I promised to run this office like a business. I’m very
pleased with the accomplishments we have made in the first year
and the groundwork that has been laid for even greater
accomplishments in the coming years."
Shortly after White took office, a tragic accident between a
truck and Amtrak passenger train in Bourbonnais claimed the lives
of 11 people. The investigation of that accident revealed that
the driver of the truck had an established record of using court
supervisions in multiple jurisdictions to avoid punishment for
poor driving and spurred Jesse White to create the Highway Safety
2000 Advisory Panel to study traffic safety laws.
The panel addressed the problem by drafting legislation,
House Bill 2883, that requires all court supervisions to be
reported to the Secretary of State’s office. However, the group
did not stop there. They also helped initiate 15 new traffic
safety regulations including 12 new administrative rules that
increase standards for commercial truck drivers.
"It’s unfortunate that it sometimes takes a tragic accident
to uncover the shortcomings of the system," said White. "What I
learned from that accident was that we had to study the entire
process by which drivers are licensed and disciplined to improve
highway safety."
The largest problem Secretary White inherited was a federal
investigation into employees selling licenses for bribes to
unqualified drivers. White appointed David Grossman, the
Assistant Special Agent in charge of the Chicago office of the
FBI, as his Inspector General to root out corruption. By
doubling the size of the office, White has allowed the Inspector
General to triple the number of cases opened in the first year of
his administration.
"Once I took over the Secretary of State’s office I warned
all employees that I have a zero-tolerance policy on corruption,"
said White. "I will provide the Inspector General with all the
necessary resources to carry out his duties and remove those
people who abuse the public’s trust."
In his first year on the job, White followed through on a
campaign pledge by procuring the necessary funds to manufacture
and distribute new license plates. He has streamlined and
automated the process in order to re-plate all of the state’s 8.5
million passenger vehicles in a 12-month period beginning in
2001. During the last re-plating only 4.6 million sets of plates
were produced over a three-year cycle.
For the first time in history, Illinois motorists were given
the opportunity to choose the design of the license plate. More
than 230,000 people voted for their favorite plate. Seventeen
years have passed since the state last issued new license plates
and many have become difficult for law enforcement officials to
read
In addition to improving road safety, expanding the
Inspector General’s office and providing new license plates,
White cited the following accomplishments in his first year:
- Followed through on a campaign promise when he kicked-off
"Project Next Generation" a mentoring program for at-risk youth
run through the public library system.
- Targeted new funds for libraries to upgrade their technology
and improve Internet access through a new program called Illinois
Information Advantage and is seeking greater funding for
libraries located in areas with poor tax bases as well as school
libraries throughout the state.
- Formed new partnerships with the Chicago Bears organization
and the Payton family following Walter Payton’s announcement of a
rare liver disease to raise awareness for organ donation and to
register more organ donors.
- Honored the memory of one of Illinois’ strongest proponents
for education and literacy, State Senator Penny Severns, by
establishing the Penny Severns Early Childhood Reading Program
and the Penny Severns Scholarship Fund.
White believes the Internet offers new opportunities to
provide the public with information and services. Already, the
Archives Department has become a leader in making its databases
available over the Internet to historians, genealogists and
others. Last year, the number of on-line reference requests
increased by more than 300 percent. Also, customers may access
public information or print registration forms for various
departments on-line.
White’s goal is to eventually make every service available
through the Internet that doesn’t require on-site testing or a
face-to-face transaction. Customers will be able to purchase
license plates and renewal stickers as well as select their
personalized license plates through the Internet. Also,
corporations and lobbyists will be able to register on-line.
"We have accomplished a great deal in my first year as
Secretary of State," said White. "We have laid the groundwork
for safer roadways, higher ethical conduct from employees and
faster, friendlier customer service. I have also followed
through on major campaign pledges such as re-plating Illinois
vehicles and implementing a mentoring program for students
through public libraries."
Secretary of State Jesse White’s Annual Report is available
on his website at www.cyberdriveillinois.com.
1999-2000
Annual Report – PDF
