1/8/2010 - Friends of Robin Kelly

After repeated attacks by her opponent on one of the 21 funds in the state’s Bright Start college savings program, Robin Kelly, Democratic candidate for Illinois State Treasurer, is setting the record straight.

“Justin Oberman’s politically motivated attacks against the state’s Bright Start program are totally irresponsible. He continues to blatantly misrepresent the facts,” said Robin Kelly, who is the current chief of staff for the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office. “It’s time for him to get his facts straight. Voters deserve to be accurately informed.”

Under the current administration, the Bright Start college savings program has seen great success in Illinois. Thanks to a major overhaul of the program, the Treasurer’s Office has been credited with Bright Start’s rise from the worst to one of the top programs in the nation. As chief of staff, Kelly helped lead the effort and points to the recognition Bright Start has received, including a Top 3 rating in the nation by Money Magazine in 2009 and a Top 5 ranking by Consumer Reports.

Oberman’s ongoing rant about one of Bright Start’s 21 funds fails to present an accurate picture of the state’s college savings program. Kelly says when people understand the facts, there is no question how Bright Start has helped Illinois working families. 

“Setting the record straight on Bright Start allows me to bring the accurate facts to light, and to talk about my experience in the Treasurer’s Office – not on the sidelines,” said Kelly, who gives an overview of Bright Start.

• Under the leadership of the current administration, the Bright Start college savings program in Illinois rose from the worst to one of the best programs in the nation.
• In 2009, Money Magazine rated Illinois Bright Start as the Top 3 program in the nation. Consumer Reports ranked it in the Top 5.
• The Treasurer’s Office was able to protect investments in 20 of the Bright Start's 21 funds during a time of economic instability.
• Bright Start’s Fund 21 did lose money after improper investments by a Wall Street firm.
• The Treasurer’s Office was the first state in the nation to identify the problem with OppenheimerFunds. And, in conjunction with the Illinois Attorney General fought for and recovered $77 million, in a settlement with OppenheimerFunds.

Kelly acknowledges that improper investments by Wall Street must never happen again, but questions the motivations of Oberman who after running for Congress, and then spending the summer running for Lt. Governor, has now decided to run for Treasurer.

Kelly joined the Treasurer’s Office in 2007 and immediately began leveraging her experience to help turn around the $17 billion agency by demanding stronger ethical guidelines and improving office efficiencies.

A resident of Matteson, Kelly has a BA and MA from Bradley University, and earned her Ph.D. in political science from Northern Illinois University. She also served as an Illinois State Representative from 2003 to 2007, and Director of Community Affairs for the Village of Matteson for 13 years.