SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In response to reports of a top official in Gov. Rauner’s administration spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on professional subscriptions, state Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines, is backing legislation urging the governor’s Technology Chief to immediately cancel the subscriptions.
“I am outraged to learn the governor’s Technology Chief is spending over $200,000 dollars at a time when social service agencies that care for our most vulnerable residents are at risk of closing their doors,” Moylan said. “I am demanding he immediately cancel these subscriptions.”

Moylan is sponsoring House Resolution 358 to urge Technology Chief Hardik Bhatt to halt any further professional subscription purchases and to cancel any existing contracts. His resolution also demands that Chief Bhatt operate a more transparent department.

A recent news article reported that the Secretary of the Department of Innovation and Technology Hardik Bhatt, who is paid $145,000 a year, spent $208,000 on annual membership costs for professional subscriptions. The department is a state agency, which was created by the governor via an executive order.

“Spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on professional subscriptions, while the state lacks a state budget is irresponsible and wrong,” Moylan said. “I will continue speaking out against wasteful spending like this, and I urge the governor’s administration to be more transparent in the future.”