Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been making some big strides in showing a willingness to compromise to gain passage of a capital construction plan.

But his chief foe, House Speaker Michael Madigan, has said through his spokesmen, that trust remains a major roadblock.

The governor can take a big step toward improving that trust by signing House Bill 824, the ethics reform legislation designed to combat "pay-to-play" politics that link campaign contributions to state contracts.

The bill has been sitting on the governor's desk awaiting his signature after being passed without opposition in the House and Senate.

Blagojevich has indicated the bill isn't tough enough - yet he hasn't offered any specifics on how he would "improve" it during the many months the legislative proposals have been on the table and now on his desk.

Skeptics are concerned that if the governor uses his amendatory veto to change the legislation, it could wind up killing it, rather than improving it. Cynics say that is precisely the governor's intent.

Once again, it all comes down to "trust."

So, if the governor wants to improve his level of trust, as perceived by not only lawmakers but also taxpayers, he should sign HB 824 without making changes.

The bill would prohibit individuals and businesses with state contracts totaling $50,000 or more from donating to elected officials in the executive branch whose offices award the contracts.

Comptroller Dan Hynes, Treasurer Alexi Gianouilias, Secretary of State Jesse White and Attorney General Lisa Madigan are already voluntarily refusing such campaign contributions.

Blagojevich has not followed their example. In fact, according to an analysis by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, Blagojevich has collected $283,000 in campaign contributions in the first half of the year that would be prohibited if the governor signed the legislation.

Because of the billions of dollars in state contracts that would be handed out if a capital construction program is approved, the Campaign for Political Reform is urging that the governor's signature on an unaltered HB 824 should be a condition of approving such a program.

"The governor should sign HB 824 and give the public some confidence the billions of dollars in new spending would be done fairly and would not be directed at the wallets of the businesses contributing to his campaign fund," Cynthia Canary, director of the Campaign for Political Reform, said in a press release.

Having Blagojevich approve the bill without changes would be a sign of good faith - and good government.