CHICAGO – An Illinois workers’ compensation attorney is saluting Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker for his proposal to eliminate an independent review board that handles work comp cases.

Keefe believes Illinois should take notes on Walker’s budget proposal. | Shutterstock

Eugene Keefe, a partner with Keefe, Campbell, Biery and Associates, believes Illinois should learn from Walker.

“The problem we have in Illinois is we have too much government,” Keefe told the Record.

In Walker’s 2017-19 budget plan, the governor has proposed $593 million in tax and fee cuts including the defunding of the Labor and Industry Review Commission (LIRC) by 2019.

By defunding the LIRC, the governor believes he will save about $3.2 million over a two-year span.

“Scott Walker is a genius in my opinion,” Keefe said. “He has cut annual spending by like $5 billion a year.”

“In Illinois, we’ve gone the other way,” Keefe continued.

The LIRC is a three-member board that is responsible for reviewing appeals of disputed workers’ compensation claims.

“Walker, by getting rid of the board, is saying ‘we don’t need that much government,’” Keefe said.

In Illinois, workers’ compensation claims go through five levels of hearings and appeals.

“All of those processes cost Illinois taxpayers a lot of money,” Keefe said.

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