Years served: 1993-2000 (House); Appointed May 2002 (Senate)
Committee assignments: Committee of the Whole; Insurance (Minority Spokesperson); Energy; Environment; Pensions and Investments; Revenue; Revenue Subcommittee on Amendments; Subcommittee on Pension Reform.
TAXES AND SPENDING
Brady voted for a huge electric rate increase.
Brady helped pass SB1652 – a huge electric rate increase sought by ComEd and Ameren. (2011)
Brady voted for the Democrats’ pork-bloated FY2008 $59 BILLION budget.
Brady’s vote for HB3866 demonstrates inability as a legislator to seriously address Illinois’ chronic fiscal crisis that’s attributable to out-of-control spending, an antiquated pension system, and government corruption. (2007)
Brady did not vote against allowing the Mayor of Chicago to DOUBLE the telephone tax.
Brady was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. SB0837 would give Mayor Richard Daley the ability to raise the telephone tax from $1.25 to $2.50 per month for all customers. (2007)
Brady voted against electric rate relief.
In January 2007, a 10-year electric rate-freeze expired, exposing thousands of Illinois residents to huge increases in their electric bills. SB1592 provided $1 billion in rate relief to Illinois consumers. More importantly, the law establishes an independent Illinois Power Agency that will be responsible for planning and purchasing electricity at the lowest possible price for consumers. (2007)
Brady voted against reducing the taxpayers’ burden to the state pension fund by $1.1 BILLION.
According to National Taxpayers United of Illinois, SB0027 limited end-of-career salary hikes for government school teachers and other government employees to 6% instead of the usual 20%. Such a reform would reduce state taxpayers’ contribution to state retirement funds by over $1.1 billion yearly. (2005)
Brady voted for Governor Blagojevich’s FY2005 Partial Operational Budget totaling $45.5 billion.
SB3340 included substantial increases for healthcare and education but did not address out-of-control spending. According to National Taxpayers United of Illinois, after months of debate in the legislature, the FY2005 Capital Budget was passed totaling $9.1 billion. FY2005’s $54.6 billion state budget represented a 4% or $2 billion increase over the FY2004 budget. (2004)
Brady voted for a state income-tax increase that hits Illinois businesses for $29 million.
According to National Taxpayers United of Illinois, SB2207 redefines that phrase “business income” in a way that benefits the big-spenders in Springfield. (2004)
Brady did not vote against a $750 million pork spending bill.
Brady was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not case a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. SB1239 included $300 million in new pork spending and about $450 million to finish projects started by former Governor George Ryan. $556 million of the pork spending bill was vetoed by Governor Blagojevich. Brady voted to override most of the Governor’s line item vetoes. (2003)
EDUCATION
Brady did not vote against exempting teachers, principals and school superintendents from FOIA disclosure.
Brady was in attendance when the vote on SB315 was taken, but did not vote for or against the bill - refusing to take a principled stand. At the urging of the teachers’ unions and just months after approving what was billed as a sweeping reform of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, SB315 exempts from FOIA disclosure of performance evaluations for teachers, principals and school superintendents. Also supporting the bill was the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 which seeks the same exemption for all public employees who receive performance evaluations. (2010)
Brady voted to increase education spending by nearly $600 million.
Brady’s vote for HB3866 proves he is incapable and unwilling to address the public education-spending crisis in Illinois. Instead of leading with bold reforms, Brady follows the Democrats’ dishonest argument that blames school failures on “not enough money.” (2007)
GAMBLING
Brady helped the Democrats massively expand gambling - AGAIN
Brady voted “present” on SB737. SB737 creates five new casinos – plus transforms six horse tracks into full-fledged casinos by authorizing slots and video gambling. By refusing to stand up for the Republican Platform, Brady enabled the Democrat agenda basically as much as the four who voted “yes.” (2010)
Brady voted to subsidize horseracing through riverboat casinos.
HB1918 requires riverboat casinos that have gross receipts of more than $200 million in 2004 to pay 3% of their adjusted gross income to the Horse Racing Trust Fund. (2006)
Brady did not vote against legalizing video gambling in bars across Illinois.
Brady was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. HB1124 would have legalized gambling on video game “contests” of two or more in bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, and other venues. (2007)
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
Brady voted for the Illinois DREAM Act.
Brady voted YES and helped pass the Illinois DREAM Act, legislation awarding special rights and benefits to undocumented immigrants in Illinois (SB2185). (2011)
Brady voted to make it more difficult to enforce the nation’s immigration laws.
HB1744 amends the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act to prohibit employers from enrolling in any Employment Eligibility Verification System. (2007)
Brady voted to force state and local governments to recognize “consular identification cards” issued by foreign governments.
SB1623 forces state and local governments to recognize the consular identification cards issued by foreign governments and commonly used by illegal Mexican immigrants. (2005)
Brady voted for in-state tuition for illegal aliens.
HB0060 allows undocumented immigrants to attend state universities at in-state tuition rates. (2003)
REFORM (or the lack thereof)
Brady did not vote for establishing a commission to work towards reducing the size of government.
Brady was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. HB268 establishes a commission of legislative members appointed by the legislative leaders and local government representatives appointed by the Governor to report to the General Assembly on consolidating local governments. (2011)
Brady voted against reducing the size and cost of government.
Brady voted against SB173 - a bill that would have reduced the size and cost of government through consolidation or elimination of unnecessary units of local government. Illinois now has almost 7,000 taxing districts – far exceeding the number of any other state. Republican lawmakers had an incredible opportunity to strike a blow for limited government, but instead they chose big government over reform. (2011)
SB35 / SB600
Brady voted against SB600 on April 2, 2009 on the floor of the Senate. Fortunately the reform bill still passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 44 to 13. UPDATE: On April 8, 2011, Brady did the right thing and voted “yes” on the same bill (now known as SB35). Brady now joined a unanimous Senate in passing SB35. (2011)
Brady did not vote against exempting teachers, principals and school superintendents from FOIA disclosure.
Brady was in attendance when the vote on SB315 was taken, but did not vote for or against the bill - refusing to take a principled stand. At the urging of the teachers’ unions and just months after approving what was billed as a sweeping reform of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, SB315 exempts from FOIA disclosure of performance evaluations for teachers, principals and school superintendents. Also supporting the bill was the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 which seeks the same exemption for all public employees who receive performance evaluations. (2010)
Brady voted to water down ethics reform law.
Brady voted to exempt transportation projects from the new ethics law (SB761). Despite the awesome demands of riding around on a High Horse every day since Rod Blagojevich’s arrest lecturing about the need to reform Illinois’ culture of corruption - state lawmakers still somehow found time to gut their own brand new “landmark” ethics reform law. This of course would be the same ethics reform law these same lawmakers hailed as “a big step forward.” (2009)
Brady did not vote against making it more difficult for write-in candidate to get on the ballot.
Once again, Brady was in attendance when the vote was taken but did not cast a vote for or against, refusing to take a principled stand. SB662 changed the deadline for filing to be a write-in candidate to 61 days before an election. The purpose for this change is purely for incumbent protection. (2007)
Brady did nothing to help cleanse the Illinois Republican Party of the tainted National Committeeman Bob Kjellander.
Bob Kjellander could have been removed and replaced with an honest leader a lot earlier, if only Republican “leaders” like Brady were serious about reform. Brady never joined the rank-and-file and more serious officials who overwhelmingly called for Kjellander’s immediate ouster. It’s only because Brady and a tiny handful of other old guard faces refuse to unify on reform that even this simplest of clean-ups remain difficult to accomplish.
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