Funding for everything from state-subsidized daycare to court reporters' salaries is running out in Illinois. At the same time, Republican Governor Bruce Rauner has signed on a top aide for a contract worth $30,000 a month.
Donna Arduin may not be a household name in Illinois yet, but as Rauner's Chief Financial Officer, she may become on.
Arduin has been contracted to "provide advice to the governor" on how to deal with Illinois' pending fiscal challenges.
For that, she -- or more specifically, her consulting firm -- will be paid $120,000 for four months of work. Rauner justified Arduin's contract during a Sunday stop in Bloomington.
"Because she's the best in America," Rauner said when asked by a reporter how he can justify that expense. "She's a brilliant lady who's done financial turnarounds at a number of states. She's the smartest state government budget person in America that I was able to find and she's well worth it, because she's going to save us billions."
The contract's signing comes as Rauner has called salaries of highway maintenance workers, prison barbers and other state employees "unsustainable."
Arduin's previously advised governors in Florida and California; that included controversial recommendations for spending cuts.
